"Araf" means purgatory or limbo in Turkish. A space in between—Somewhere in Between, as the English title of the film suggests—perfectly symbolized by the gas station that seems to exist in a parallel world, from which one can watch another life unfold on the highway, so close yet so far. This 'in-between' is also what Zehra and Olgun are experiencing: no longer children, but not yet adults. There is also the town, in decline like its industries, where time seems to have stopped. The camera (operated by Michael Hammon) of director Yesim Ustaoglu masterfully conveys these atmospheres of waiting. She captures those ambivalent attitudes where the characters seek to escape their limbo, yet are simultaneously afraid of leaving it. However, the true tour de force achieved by the filmmaker lies in this: despite the often somber tone and the cold Anatolian winter, the images are anything but depressing. On the contrary, luminous moments punctuate the narrative, and these visuals weave a tapestry of sublime emotional impressions. The director’s empathy for her characters is so palpable that one feels she simply cannot abandon them. Rooted in a sad reality, Araf is, in fact, a film about hope.