Umut, an attractive water polo player and quiet student, is just trying to live his life in a complicated world. When one of his teammates spreads the rumor that he is gay, Umut refuses to deny, apologize, or explain the claim. But this makes his relationship with his team increasingly tense. His parents, overwhelmed by their own problems, try unsuspectingly to maintain his interest in the sport. It doesn't take long for events to take a turn... NOT KNOWING (original title: BİLMEMEK) premiered at the Adana Altın Koza Film Festival in 2019, where it won the Yılmaz Güney Award, the Best Director Award and the SIYAD Film Award. Further honors followed at the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival (Audience Award) and the Ankara Film Festival (Best Film), among others. Director Leyla Yılmaz has created a sensitive, profound portrait of family dynamics, queer identity and social pressure in present-day Turkey. A film that asks big questions with quiet means – and bravely addresses the things that no one wants to talk about.
Umut's life is turned upside down after a picture of him kissing a boy at his sports club turns up.
Umut, an attractive water polo player and quiet student, is just trying to live his life in a complicated world. When one of his teammates spreads the rumor that he is gay, Umut refuses to deny, apologize, or explain the claim. But this makes his relationship with his team increasingly tense. His parents, overwhelmed by their own problems, try unsuspectingly to maintain his interest in the sport. It doesn't take long for events to take a turn...
NOT KNOWING (original title: BİLMEMEK) premiered at the Adana Altın Koza Film Festival in 2019, where it won the Yılmaz Güney Award, the Best Director Award and the SIYAD Film Award. Further honors followed at the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival (Audience Award) and the Ankara Film Festival (Best Film), among others.
Director Leyla Yılmaz has created a sensitive, profound portrait of family dynamics, queer identity and social pressure in present-day Turkey. A film that asks big questions with quiet means – and bravely addresses the things that no one wants to talk about.