Dust Cloth

Ahu Öztürk's 2015 Turkish film follows two Kurdish women working as cleaners in Istanbul. Nesrin has been left alone with her small daughter after her husband walked out; Hatun dreams of buying a flat in the district where she cleans. The subject is those two wishes colliding. Nesrin cannot pay the rent and tells no one why; Hatun is saving what she has and is caught between helping her friend and her own plan. It is Öztürk's first feature. The narrative also shows the homes of the employers and sets the two worlds side by side; the tone is measured and there is no emotional steering. Nazan Kesal and Asiye Dinçsoy lead. Who it's for: those who follow independent cinema in Turkey and drama about labour. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a story that resolves; the film offers no relief at its close.