Never leave me

Aida Begic

After his mother dies, Isa (14) is sent to an orphanage for Syrian refugees in Şanlıurfa, Turkey. There he makes an uneasy friendship with Ahmad (11) and Motaz (10). Although the three boys are very different, they find a common interest: they all want to leave and start a new life. To get some money, the boys start selling paper tissues. At first things start going very well for them, but soon Karaca, a local deadbeat to whom Isa owes some money, comes into the picture. In face of adversity, the boys are forced to start relying on each other, and find love, friendship and hope. The movie had its premiere at the Antalya Filmfest in 2017 and won the Audience Award at Pingya International Film Festival. The director, born in Sarajevo, is a member of the Academy Awards commission.