Director: Elizabeth Lo
72 Mins / 2020 / USA

*Please read our important information about our Covid-19 safety precautions before visiting.*

An exquisite dog's eye view of Istanabul. Zeytin has a strong head, hazel eyes and a quizzical expression. Long-legged and confident, she trots beside busy highways, unbothered by crowds or the camera. Why should she be? She’s a star. Three stray dogs - Zeytin, Nazar and Kartal embark on inconspicuous journeys through Turkish society that allow us a portrait of human life through their unfamiliar gaze.

As simple as its title and as complex as the city it briefly illuminates, this sharp-eyed documentary about the street dogs of Istanbul, unspools without narration. Instead, the restless rhythms of their uncertain existence lend a poetry to this film that is more contemplative than cute.

While never directly political, Lo’s camera is there when the animals encounter a women’s march for equality and, later, when the refugees connect with boatmen who share their own migrant past. This is a fascinating film.

This film is F-Rated. The F-Rating is applied to all films which are directed by women and/or written by women. Find out more about F-Rating.

How you can support the Electric Palace:

Thank you.