Upper Floors

Selahattin is a math teacher in his 40s. He has a passion for poetry, lives alone on the lower floor of an apartment building, and is in platonic love with Ms. Alev, who lives on the top floor. He writes poems on scraps of paper and deposits them secretly in her mailbox, but his life soon spins out of control when duplicitous family members try to extort money from him for their business.

Directed by Ulaş Temur, Upper Floors leans on a strong ensemble — Şemsettin Zırhlı, Bahadır Çalı, Esat Tanrıverdi — 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.