Themes: Death of a Parent, Discovering One's Heritage
Main Cast: Hilmi Sözer, Ozlem Blume, Ozay Fecht, Martin Gladde, Birol Ünel
Release Year: 2001
Country: DE
Run Time: 91 minutes
Plot
Can a gay man pushing 50 find happiness as the guardian of a girl just edging into her teens? Zeki (Hilmi Sozer) is a middle-aged cabaret performer who has been doing his flamboyant song, dance, and comedy routine in gay clubs throughout Europe ever since he left his native Turkey nearly two decades ago. After a gig in Amsterdam, Zeki gets word that an old acquaintance has died, and he travels to Germany to attend the funeral. However, after the memorial service, Zeki is informed that his friend had a 13-year-old daughter, Senay (Ozlem Blume), and that he's been asked to look after the girl until her mother, an exotic dancer, can be located. Taking care of children is hardly second nature for Zeki, and it isn't long before he discovers Senay's mother isn't especially interested in being reunited with her daughter; while they hardly get along at first, Zeki and Senay become close as they travel across Europe looking for her mother, with Zeki scoring the occasional club engagement along the way. Auslandstournee was directed and co-written by Ayse Polat; it was his first feature. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
