Ara (2008): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2008, Ara is a drama film directed by Ümit Ünal, running about 89 minutes.

What it’s about. Ara is the story of four people and an empty house. These people are stuck between their past and stormy relationships, between Istanbul and the "homes" they can't get back, between their innermost secrets and the lies they tell, between east and west. They are stuck in the "space between". The whole action takes place in an almost empty flat which is belong to one of the characters. The camera goes out only once. But various other visuals from commercials, TV series' that has been shot in the same flat, sneak into the film. Spanning around 10 years, the story is told between intervals of these visuals. Turkey has been through a huge change in the last 20-30 years. The modest country of the recent past is a faded memory compared to the consumerist life style of modern day. It is the time of ambitious people who can do anything to "live well", to "break through". This is the story of a small group of people who manage to "live well" but can't help getting lost in a spiritual vacuum.

Who’s in it. Ara stars Erdem Akakçe as Ender, Serhat Tutumluer as Veli, Selen Uçer as Gul and Betül Çobanoğlu as Selda, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 4.5/10, Ara has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Ara page.

If you liked it. Fans of Ara tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.