Ye\u015fim Ustao\u011flu's road movie What Remains bows in San Sebasti\u00e1n competition
Variety published its review of “What Remains” on 30 September, putting a full stop on the film’s festival launch in Spain. Variety The film is the new feature from director Yeşim Ustaoğlu.
The story follows Elif, a Turkish poet dealing with creative block. She is played by Ökyü Karayel, according to the review. Variety
Elif sets out by car from Istanbul. She travels through the Turkish countryside to a mountain village where her grandmother once lived. Variety
She does not travel alone in the story. Selim, her son, is played by Ali Kayra Kul. Mehmet, her partner and an experimental musician, is played by Metin Akdülger. Variety
The film’s original title is “Artakalan”. It was made as a Turkey-France-Luxembourg-Bulgaria co-production, meaning companies in four countries shared the financing. Both details were listed in Variety’s San Sebastián line-up coverage in July. Variety
San Sebastián, also known as Donostia Zinemaldia, selected the film for its Official Selection in competition. That is the festival’s main contest section. Sales agent The Match Factory confirmed the selection in a post on 1 August. The Match Factory
Ahead of that world premiere, The Match Factory boarded international sales. That is the business of selling the right to release a film country by country. Screen Daily reported the deal on 29 July. Screen Daily
Variety later described the film as a Turkish road movie by Yeşim Ustaoğlu in its festival takeaways published on 26 September. Variety Other trade reviews followed the premiere. The Hollywood Reporter on 24 September called it a slow-burn portrait of a creative couple in Turkey coming back from the brink. The Hollywood Reporter
Screen Daily, also on 24 September, called it a meditative, visually striking Turkish road movie about a couple heading in different directions. Screen Daily Cineuropa published its own review by Fabien Lemercier on 22 September. Cineuropa
For fans, this means the festival window is closing and the release window opens next. Screen Daily reported that Mubi will release the film in Turkey. Screen Daily No wider release dates have been confirmed in the verified material.
