The Edge of Heaven 2008

Retired widower Ali Aksu (Tuncel Kurtiz), a Turkish immigrant residing in Bremen, Germany, believes he finally has a remedy for his loneliness upon meeting Yeter Öztürk (Nursel Köse). He offers her a monthly stipend to leave her life as a prostitute and move in with him. After facing threats from two Turkish Muslims because of her profession, she reluctantly agrees to his proposal. Meanwhile, Ali’s son, Nejat Aksu (Baki Davrak), who is a professor specializing in German literature, struggles to comprehend the unusual arrangement between his father and a woman he views as morally questionable. Yet, time runs out when Ali suffers a heart attack, bringing a moment of compassion as Nejat learns about Yeter’s struggles; she has been deceiving her 27-year-old daughter into believing she works as a shoe saleswoman, sending her shoes from Turkey to maintain the facade. Yeter’s aspirations for her daughter’s education resonate with Nejat, who wishes her well.

Upon returning home post-hospitalization, suspicion creeps into Ali’s mind regarding the potential affair between Yeter and Nejat. In a fit of drunken rage, Ali confronts Yeter, leading to a tragic altercation that results in her untimely death. Consequently, Ali faces imprisonment for his actions.

Determined to atone for his family’s fragmented past, Nejat journeys to Istanbul to locate Yeter’s daughter, Ayten (Nurgül Yeşilçay), and takes on the responsibility of funding her education. Faced with the challenge of finding her without familial leads and lacking recent photographs, he resorts to posting flyers with Yeter’s image scattered throughout the city, hoping for a breakthrough. A serendipitous encounter at a small bookstore for sale leads him to invest in it, only to be swept into its charm.

As tensions rise during a riot, a plainclothes officer unwittingly drops his firearm. This moment of chaos thrusts Ayten, a dedicated member of a Turkish anti-government resistance group, into a precarious situation as she snatches the gun and narrowly escapes the clutches of law enforcement. When her cell is eventually infiltrated, Ayten escapes to Bremen, embracing a new identity among political allies. Yet, her circumstances soon deteriorate due to financial woes, leaving her homeless and frantically searching for her mother in local shoe stores while her contact information slips through her fingers.

In her quest, she finds solace with Lotte, a compassionate university student who offers her food, clothing, and shelter—an act that is met with skepticism by Lotte’s mother, Susanne. As Ayten and Lotte embark on a romantic relationship, Lotte becomes dedicated to helping Ayten find her mother. However, their journey is abruptly halted when a routine traffic stop reveals Ayten’s undocumented status, triggering an appeal for political asylum. Despite Susanne’s financial backing, German authorities deem Ayten’s fear of persecution unfounded, leading to her deportation and immediate detention.

Devastated by the unfolding events, Lotte travels to Turkey in a desperate attempt to secure Ayten’s release but soon faces the grim reality of the legal challenges ahead, with Ayten facing a potential 15 to 20 years in prison. Upon learning of Lotte’s determination, Susanne urges her to reconsider her path, though Lotte remains steadfast, leading her mother to withdraw support. Finding refuge in Nejat’s bookstore, Lotte finds comfort in her new environment, with hopes that it will lead her to Ayten.

After gaining a rare prison visit with Ayten, Lotte fulfills Ayten’s request to retrieve the handgun from their previous encounter. However, her mission takes a tragic turn when local boys snatch her bag containing the firearm. During her frantic pursuit to recover it, a catastrophic incident occurs, claiming Lotte’s life in an unexpected twist of fate.

Ultimately released from prison, Ali faces deportation back to Turkey, returning to his home in Trabzon along the Black Sea coast, where his troubles continue to shadow him.

Following Lotte’s tragic death, Susanne journeys to Istanbul to uncover the truth about her daughter’s last months. Her encounter with Nejat leads her to her daughter’s diary, reawakening her resolve to liberate Ayten. Susanne’s heartfelt visit brings a glimmer of hope to Ayten, offering a chance for redemption and liberation from her prison sentence.

As Susanne learns about the significance of a Bayram festival, which honors Ibrahim’s sacrificial bond with his son Ishmael, she reflects on familial sacrifice, drawing parallels to her own circumstances. Nejat shares a poignant memory from his childhood, revealing his father’s unwavering commitment to protect him, stating, > “He would make God his enemy in order to protect me.”

With the past still stirring in his heart, Nejat removes Yeter’s flyer from the shop’s noticeboard, asks Susanne to tend to his bookstore while he travels, and sets off to Trabzon to reunite with his estranged father.

In a heartfelt gesture, Susanne invites Ayten to stay with her in Nejat’s house, rekindling a sense of belonging. As Nejat reaches Trabzon, he finds himself on the beach, waiting for his father to return, a poignant reminder of the tangled fates and enduring journeys of love, loss, and redemption.