Climates

A relationship reaches a breaking point during a summer holiday. Isa, an archaeology professor, and Bahar, a television producer, have drifted into silence and helpless gestures, and a dinner with friends brings the tension to a head. After they separate, Isa returns to Istanbul and rekindles an affair with Serap, while Bahar throws herself into her work. When Bahar leaves the city for a long shoot in eastern Turkey, Isa follows her, uncertain and trying to salvage what remains between them. The story unfolds across three seasons, moving from summer heat to autumn rain and winter snow as the pair circle each other.

Nuri Bilge Ceylan directed and wrote the film, which sits third in his filmography after The Small Town and Distant, and he also stars opposite Ebru Ceylan as Bahar, with Nazan Kesal, Mehmet Eryılmaz, Arif Aşçı and Can Özbatur in supporting roles. The Turkish production, made with Dutch, French and other international backing, was released in 2006 and runs 98 minutes. Its worldwide box office came to about 1 million dollars. On IMDb it holds 7.1 out of 10 from roughly 15,000 votes, and on TMDB 6.8 out of 10 from a much smaller number of votes. A critics' rating of 7.2 out of 10 from 66 reviews places it slightly above the audience scores.