Waiting for Heaven (Cenneti Beklerken)

Waiting for Heaven is a 107-minute drama film written and directed by Derviş Zaim. Shot in 2005 as a Turkish-Hungarian co-production, it opened in Turkey in December 2006 and drew attention for weaving miniature art into both its story and its visual language.

Set in 17th-century Ottoman Istanbul, the film follows Eflatun, a miniaturist who has lost his wife and son and is sent by the palace on a dangerous journey into Anatolia to paint a Western-style portrait of the rebellious Prince Danyal. The trip lets him refine his art while exposing him to new cultural riches, and his encounter with the beautiful Leyla pulls him toward passion and an entirely different adventure. Serhat Tutumluer and Melisa Sözen lead the cast, alongside Altan Erkekli, Numan Acar, Ahmet Mümtaz Taylan, Nihat İleri, Mehmet Ali Nuroğlu, Bülent İnal and Mesut Akusta.