Elizabeth Lo | Documentary | USA | 2020 | 72m | English and Turkish with English subtitles

This beautiful film from director Elizabeth Lo brings us into the world of Zeytin, a stray dog living life on the streets of Istanbul. Deceptively simple and wonderfully touching, Stray is a tour-de-force of documentary filmmaking. Lo shows us the fragile world through Zeytin’s eyes, taking the audience to seemingly impossible places, all while staying quite literally grounded. Just when you think you have settled into the rhythm of the film, the brilliance of Lo’s vision becomes clear. The camera begins to focus not just on Zeytin and her ragtag bunch of fellow strays; we are also introduced to the revealing parallels of the young Syrian refugees that inhabit the same streets as these dogs.

Note to parents (because dogs!): this film contains depictions of homelessness and street life in Istanbul and so contains strong language and people in desperate situations. The film is intended for adults.

"A howling success." -Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter

"Stray, like Kedi, is a provocative essay about how we treat our fellow animals, human and non-human alike." -Pat Mullen, POV Magazine

Best International Feature Documentary - Hot Docs

Cost $10 (Taxes included)

Watching here supports Mongrel Media and Carbon Arc.