Somewhere in Between (Araf)

Araf is a 2012 drama film written, directed, and produced by Yeşim Ustaoğlu. A co-production between Turkey, Germany, and France, it was shot in Karabük and takes its title from the Islamic concept of limbo; internationally it is known as Somewhere in Between.

The story unfolds around Zehra and Olgun, two young people working shifts at a massive highway gas station where everything comes and goes. Clinging to the dream that their lives will suddenly change one day, they long for the glittering worlds they see on television, while Olgun quietly carries his love for Zehra. Their fragile balance collapses when Zehra begins a relationship with Mahur, a 38-year-old truck driver who stops at the station, and she gradually loses her innocence. Starring Neslihan Atagül, Barış Hacıhan, and Özcan Deniz, the film explores themes of growing up and coming to terms with reality.