The Butterfly

The year is 1996, about five years before September 11. But the foundations are already being laid. Because the world is a complicated place, and nothing starts just one day before. The place is Afghanistan, in the heat of civil war. Thousands of people who have lost their lives, their possessions, and their homes are waiting for the fighting to end. Yusuf and his friends, however, are going there for humanitarian aid. As Yusuf and his friends prepare to set out, Osama bin Laden is crossing the Afghan border to his new headquarters. Yusuf and his friends meet thousands of people in Afghanistan that year, and one of them is a young man who will become known to the whole world on September 11, 2001.

Directed by Cihan Taşkın, The Butterfly leans on a strong ensemble — Ghassan Massoud, Caner Cindoruk, Deniz Bolışık — 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 2009.