Ayse – Chicago Screening

Ayse, directed by Necmi Sancak and written by Sancak and Binnur Kaya, follows a woman living on the outer edges of Istanbul who carries far more than anyone around her sees. She works long shifts at a small gas station and cares for her brother Ridvan, who has Down syndrome and depends on her for almost everything. With her father dying in the hospital, limited income, and no real support system, Ayşe’s life is shaped by exhaustion, commitment, and a sense of duty that never lets up.

Her world shifts when an international truck driver who regularly stops by the station proposes marriage, offering her a glimpse of a life she never allowed herself to imagine. The film follows her through the long, quiet moments where responsibility and longing collide, revealing a woman searching for a sense of possibility while trying not to break under the weight of what she carries.

Rooted in personal experience from the director’s own family, Ayse treats its characters with deep empathy. The film never looks away from the harsher realities of care work, poverty, and gendered expectations, yet it handles them with a gentle, human touch. Binnur Kaya delivers a beautifully vulnerable performance, grounding the story with honesty and quiet emotional force.

Ayse is a tender, unsentimental portrait of a woman at a crossroads, choosing between the life she knows and the uncertain future she dreams of.

Istanbul Film Festival
• Seyfi Teoman Best Debut Film Award

Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival
• Best First Film
• Best Director
• Best Actress (International Competition)
• Film Direction Special Award

Cairo International Film Festival
• Henry Barakat Award for Best Artistic Contribution

Directed by: Necmi Sancak
Written by: Necmi Sancak, Binnur Kaya

Cast:
• Binnur Kaya
• Ali Seçkiner Alıcı
• Nazlıcan Demir
• Orkuncan Izan
• Menderes Samancılar
• Mustafa Doğan
• Rıdvan Sancak

80 minutes
Turkish with English subtitles
Presented in DCP

General Admission: $12
First-come, first-served seating.
All sales final unless the event is canceled.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher North of Zero