Inner City

"At some point," Rafael tells Arzu, "people walk together ... and then their ways part ... each destined to follow the labyrinth of their own inner city ..." Arzu, a young girl growing up in contemporary Azerbaijan, falls in love with Rafael, her piano teacher's son, a veteran of the Karabakh War. Twice her age and unable to escape from the ravages of war, Rafael is forced to live on the edge of a society that sees him as a 'cripple.' Arzu, desperate to escape from the same repressive society which confines women to a strict, narrow path, chooses Rafael over her family and friends - but threatened by Arzu's mother, and guided by the wisdom born out of his own brokenness, Rafael makes the supreme sacrifice of love ...

Directed by Ilgar Safat, Inner City leans on a strong ensemble — Tahmina Rafaella, Firdovsi Atakishiyev, Mekhriban Zeki — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2016.