A touch of spice

Description

Fanis' natural skills as a cook are discouraged by those around him as he grows into adolescence, as is his recent immigration from Turkey. Despite being Greek citizens, his family is frequently viewed as outsiders, and this sense of alienation and longing to return to a home that no longer exists is one of the main themes of this film. Fanis soon grows up and becomes a professor of astronomy, but that longing remains. He returns to Istanbul as an adult, seeking to reconnect with the passions of his youth, including his first love, Saime. Thankfully, this film does not turn into some saccharine fairy tale, but remains grounded in the truths of real life, that we don't always get the things we think we want, but usually end up getting just what we need.