The Turkish word zeytin, which means “olive,” sometimes doubles as a complimentary adjective used to define a pair of deeply expressive, dark-colored eyes.
With that context in mind, the Istanbul street dog much of Elizabeth Lo’s virtuosic feature documentary debut “Stray” tracks couldn’t have been more appropriately named.
From the first moment Lo, an award-winning filmmaker of mostly documentary shorts, graces the screen with a closeup of Zeytin, it’s the canine’s eyes that register.
Possessing a dramatic screen quality with her striking gaze, elegant lashes and playfully twitching and raising eyebrows, Zeytin steadily lends the film a piece of her incorruptible purity that at once enchants and strengthens spirits.Thanks to the mutt’s magnificent orbs, one feels a soul-baring affinity with the fearless Zeytin as she searches for kindness while wandering and conquering the streets of Istanbul.
It’s a tough town, but the young
Read full article