The Adventures of Sukran the Lame

At the age of 10 Şükran is badly wounded when a butterfly’s flight leads her into the path of an oncoming train. She returns to school with a limp; there, her crush on a fellow schoolmate is unrequited.

Some years later Şükran finds love, but before long her boyfriend is killed by a local gang.

Even her relationship with her father and sister are fraught with violence and misunderstanding. Despite it all, Şükran attempts to connect with those around her. This dialogue-free film from Turkish multi-hyphenate Onur Ünlü weaves a universal tale of persistence in the face of adversity.

Ursula Grisham