Press review

The Huffington Post, Joseph Smigelski
“I consider WHEN WE LEAVE one of the best movies I have ever seen. It is Bicycle Thief good, and the kind of movie I like the most: a simple yet meaningful story told without bells and whistles and with a small number of major characters. WHEN WE LEAVE is a remarkable artistic achievement. You must see this film.“

The Hollywood Reporter
“It’s a universal story that will connect with audiences.“

Awards Daily’s Oscar Countdown – Watching Oscar 24/7, Special to Awards Daily, Brian Whisenant
“WHEN WE LEAVE is such a powerful film that the academy could not ignore it. It’s heartbreaking. And the subject matter is intense, but this is a must see film.“

Tribeca Film Festival – 2010 Film Guide
“Truly spectacular. I compliment Ms. Aladag on a great film. I highly recommend this film as a window into a world and an issue not prevalent in the news but very real, relevant and timely.“

Los Angeles Times
“The jury, which included actors Hope Davis and Aaron Eckhardt, said in a statement that WHEN WE LEAVE „examines one woman’s struggle for personal freedom. It’s a theme that is often explored – but rarely told with such humanity, subtlety, craftsmanship or immediacy.“

KULTURSPIEGEL
“I consider WHEN WE LEAVE one of the best movies I have ever seen. It is Bicycle Thief good, and the kind of movie I like the most: a simple yet meaningful story told without bells and whistles and with a small number of major characters. WHEN WE LEAVE is a remarkable artistic achievement. You must see this film.“

Tribeca Film Festival, Award Ceremony, 29.04.2010, Jury Comments: zitiert in zahlreichen führenden internationalen Tageszeitungen und TV-Beiträgen. Jury: Hope Davis, Aaron Eckhart, John Hamburg, Cheryl Hines, John Ridley, Gary Ross and Gary Winick
“WHEN WE LEAVE examines one woman’s struggle for personal freedom. It’s a theme that is often explored – but rarely told with such humanity, subtlety, craftsmanship or immediacy, as in tonight’s winning entry. WHEN WE LEAVE is a riveting and heartbreaking story of a woman trapped in an abusive relationship, who must not only free herself from that marriage, but also the cultural prejudices and judgments that would keep her there. Feo Aladag built the nuances of her film over a six year period. She rehearsed her actors for seven months. She immersed herself in every detail of a culture that is revealed to us in remarkable detail. The result is a film that balances complex social issues with honest human yearnings. Through the brutality, WHEN WE LEAVE is also a story of tenderness, the struggle for compassion, the inexorable pull of family and the need to love and be loved.”