Stray (2020)

About: The Roxie Theater and FORT MASON FLIX present Stray (2020). Through the eyes of three stray dogs wandering the streets of Istanbul, Stray (2020) explores what it means to live as a being without status or security. As they search for food and shelter, Zeytin, Nazar, and Kartal embark on inconspicuous journeys through Turkish society that allow us an unvarnished portrait of human life — and their own canine culture. The disparate lives of Zeytin, Nazar and Kartal intersect when they each form intimate bonds with a group of young Syrians who share the streets with them.

Whether they lead us into bustling streets or decrepit ruins, the gazes of these strays act as windows into the overlooked corners of society: women in loveless marriages, protesters without arms, refugees without sanctuary. The film is a critical observation of human civilization through the unfamiliar gaze of dogs and a sensory voyage into new ways of seeing.  (The Roxie Theater)  

Director: Elizabeth Lo

Year Released: 2020

Rating: NR (Documentary)

Run Time: 72 minutes

Cast: With Zeytin (canine protagonist and street dog), Nazar (street canine), and Kartal (street canine); Jamil, Halil, and Ali (young Syrian refugees living on Istanbul’s streets)

Showing: March 10, 5:30 p.m.