"A tone of 'something-terrible-is-about-to-happen' from the very beginning..."

In this suspense-filled Turkish film, Muharrem is a devout Muslim with a compulsive set of daily rituals and few worldly ambitions. He catches the eye of a local religious leader, who decides that Muharrem’s “simple” nature and devotion to God will make him the perfect rent collector for the sect’s extensive properties. As Muharrem is thrown into the modern city with a cell phone, expensive Western clothing, and a car with driver, he is exposed to material temptations - as well as hypocrisies within the church - that eat away at his faith and his sanity.

This is actually a lot more edge-of-your-seat than it sounds, as the filmmaker keeps a tone of ‘something-terrible-is-about-to-happen’ from the very beginning, whether we’re looking at an ecstatically chanting chorus or a pair of shoes being put away – no small feat. This is one of the most memorable films I’ve seen this year, tackling fairly universal themes – much more than just an intriguing glimpse into modern culture clash in Turkey.  -Aimee