Levent, a famous film director living in Istanbul, falls into depression after the end of his marriage. A year earlier, he had promised to make a short film specifically for the Söke Festival, which he had attended as a guest. Yet as the festival date approaches, he still cannot find a creative idea that feels right. His childhood memories and his relationship with his mother weigh heavily on his mind. But then, a series of voice messages from a fan in Söke stirs him into action. The sender, Aliye, works as a housekeeper at the hotel where festival guests stay, and over the course of the film she occasionally takes hold of the narrative, becoming its storyteller.

Pelin Esmer’s new film And the Rest Will Follow plays with the very nature of cinema and storytelling. As Levent and Aliye alternately move to the center of the narrative, the film offers its audience a pleasure akin to that of literature.

İstanbul 2025

Golden Tulip - Best Screenplay