One of the many entries realeased on the Mostra Internacional de Cinema de São Paulo, this entry from Turkey marked as writer/director
Aslihan Unaldi first time behind a feature film, after some experience behind documentaries. In "Afloat" she presents a torn apart family that
is brought together by a bittersweet reunion due to a request from the patriarch (Serhat Ünaldi), a veteran combative journalist awaiting a jail
sentence after writing inflamatory stories on Turkey's government and the refugee crisis on the country. It's an interesting film though it doesn't
bring anything new to the table when it comes to deal with familiy relationships and how each member deal with several issues from their
past while trying to face an uncertain future and reacting to what's happening at their present during a week sailing trip.
Unaldi's film title goes beyond a family sailing the ocean; it's about all the emotions that comes to surface yet are slightly hidden from
each other as they deal with themselves after a long time apart. Zaynep (Nihan Aker), the eldest daughter, comes back with her husband Stephen
(Oscar Pearce) and she's like the center of the universe to everyone since her life seems all figured out, married, living abroad and trying to
become a documentarian working on the same issues as her dad. The youngest daughter (Elit Iscan) is a college dropout who clings to her teenage
traumas as having to face with split parents and a confused life that puts her against everyone, except her mother (Lila Gürmen). But all that
father wants is to rekindle with everyone for a final good moment before his pending sentence reaches him.
The usual topics revolving complicated families and their dynamics are brought up, at times ver relevant, other times it just the usual
typical cinema cliche of just putting more wood to the bonfire. There's depression, addiction, emotional problems, infidelity, personal and
political idealisms, and some other mysterious thrills and events that alter the course of their lives or their emotions. Add to that a sixth
character (Eren Çigdem) that is somewhat part of their journey from time to time, a young man who causes some interest on the daughters but some
aprehension to the parents.
"Afloat" is an interesting slow-burner that knows how to deal with all the topics presented without turning into a confusing mess, despite
its criptic bits, neither makes any exaggeration that would feel unbeleivable. All characters feel real, with their own share of problems and
mistakes, it's kind of hard to care for all of them but each viewer will find a special one to relate with. I liked the dad a lot more than I
expected, despite being the one major responsible for the whole turn-around in the family. Possibly because he's such a real charmer or maybe
the presence of Serhat playing this particular role where it doesn't gives the impression that he's all too bad. Serhat is a non professional actor yet he steals the show like a pro.
For a feature debut, Aslihan made a fine picture and she had the skills to make audiences interested and without falling into easy emotions. Just needs to resist the temptation
of answering all questions given to us. For a film that moves in a quiet mysterious way I felt it explained everything that was shown and what
happened to the family before and after their separation - but I couldn't figure out the reasoning behind the teenager who gives fruits to Yasmine,
the young daughter. Gotta leave audiences make some conjectures, some theories as to why those men and women act and react in strange ways.
Overall, a good picture that kept me going in seeing a family's issues, how they dealt with them and what could be worked it out. 8/10.
