The ancient city of Hasankeyf, located on the Tigris River in the rugged mountainous landscape of Northern Kurdistan, is home to an old fortress. Its caves, too, are of great cultural and historical value. But time and again, loud explosions shake the town—not from gunfire, but from blasting. The Turkish government has decided to build a massive dam that will slowly flood the city.

Life is gradually fading away; building by building, structures are being demolished and the residents evacuated. A few kilometers away, a brand-new city awaits them—meticulously planned and efficient, but devoid of history and soul. That’s where Burak, a barber, along with his deaf father, and young Rengin, who dreams of studying far away, are also supposed to move. They are among the last to remain in Hasankeyf, while next door, excavators tear down the historic buildings.

The directors do not present a political pamphlet about the deliberate destruction of nature and culture, but rather a sensitive portrait of people whose familiar surroundings are simply disappearing. With a static camera and subtly used music, they casually gather small details that together tell a grand story. [Rainer Mende]