Stray

An ‘invisible’ camera follows a pack of stray dogs through the streets of Istanbul, providing a profile of the city through their eyes. Caring almost more than anyone for these dogs are a group of homeless Syrian refugees. At best, they’re ignored by the city and its inhabitants. At worst, they’re cast out by a society to which they fled, hoping for a better life. Even stray dogs are often treated better by Istanbul’s citizens, and, in fact, are treated better by Turkish law. ‘Who are the real Strays of the title?’, we are led to ask, as the film progresses to its almost inevitable conclusion. Stray is a beautiful and meaningful film with many layers, anchored by some very good dogs indeed.