Film Pick of the Week: Faraway - review by Yvette Huddleston

Zeynep’s mother was originally from Croatia and she discovers on the day of the funeral that, without her family knowing, her mother had bought a house there – which she has now left to her daughter. Zeynep’s husband Ilyas (Adnan Maral) had promised to say a few words at her mother’s funeral but when he doesn’t arrive, she rushes over to Turkish the restaurant that they run together only to find him laughing in the kitchen with his young chef Nora (Paula Schramm) who has recently joined the business.

It is clear to Zeynep that there is something going on between Ilyas and Nora, who is at least 20 years his junior, and she is upset and angry. In her state of grief and shock, she jumps into their van and drives through the night from Munich to Croatia to find her mother’s house. After many hours on the road, she finally arrives at a beautiful house on top of a hill on an idyllic island just off the coast.

However, there turns out to be a complication. Local man Josip (Goran Bogdan) from whose family Zeynep’s mother bought the house, is living there, as agreed with her, since he has fallen upon hard times. Zeynep explains who she is and that she is planning to sell the property, then asks him to leave. They start off on a tricky footing, and Josip is a pretty straight-talking character, but once he persuades Zeynep to stay in the house for a while to see how she likes it, she begins to see life in a different way.

All of this plays out along fairly predictable lines, but it is done with a great deal of warmth, charm and humour. It is unusual for a film to foreground the needs and desires of a middle-aged woman – and one who is not stick thin and wrinkle-free – so for that reason alone it should be applauded. There is a lovely sparky chemistry and easy intimacy between Krauss and Bogdan which makes it impossible not to root for them and given the state of the world at the moment, a happy ending is very welcome. Plus, the Croatian scenery is truly magnificent. A treat for the eyes, heart and soul. Curl up on the sofa and enjoy.