Crossing - A heartfelt story of transition and tenderness
Written by Zoe Crombie
We live in an exciting time for LGBTQ+ cinema. Between the blockbuster menage a trois of Challengers and the upcoming horror of I Saw The TV Glow, it feels as though there’s never been a more diverse selection of voices making media that goes against heteronormative and cisnormative boundaries. But it’s important to remember that while these films are often difficult to make in countries like the US, they can be actively dangerous to produce in other parts of the world – which makes Georgian director Levan Akin and his bold LGBTQ+ cinema all the more compelling and worth your time.
Akin’s latest film Crossing is once again laden with humanism and kindness, a story as much about changing minds and crossing psychological borders as it is about crossing from one country to another. Following Lia, a retired teacher from Georgia who crosses the border to Turkey to find her niece, a trans woman named Tekla, Crossing is about finding a common humanity that transcends the artificial boundaries we create for ourselves and others. This message becomes all the more profound with the wonderful trio of lead performances from Mzia Arabuli as Lia, Deniz Dumanli as Tekla, and Lucas Kankava as Lia’s former pupil Achi, who bring emotional realism to an affecting screenplay.
This is an important piece of LGBTQ+ cinema, but fundamentally (like most excellent films in this category) it is a film about empathy, and journeying across borders to understand those around you. Crossing is a brave statement from Akin, and an important reminder for us all.
Crossing runs from 20th - 22nd August
