Mahmut is a cosmopolitan photographer who hit a creative and personal wall. When an awkward cousin from his home town turns up on his doorstep seeking a place to crash while conducting a futile search for employment, Mahmut is both grateful for the companionship and resentful of the intrusion.

The third feature from Turkish auteur Nuri Bilge Ceylan is a beautifully orchestrated character study in the way it renders human solitude on screen. With Mehmet Emin Toprak posthumously winning Cannes’ Best Actor prize for his memorable performance, Distant is a stunning piece of modern cinema.