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The Edge of Heaven 2008

A young professor, Nejat, initially questions his father's new relationship with Yeter, but soon develops respect for her kindness and strength. Following Yeter's sudden death, Nejat travels to Istanbul to find her daughter, Ayten, and discovers a complex story of love, family secrets, and social injustice. Along the way, he encounters Lotte, a passionate activist dedicated to fighting for human rights and freedom, and their paths become intertwined in a journey of self-discovery and unexpected connections.

A young professor, Nejat, initially questions his father's new relationship with Yeter, but soon develops respect for her kindness and strength. Following Yeter's sudden death, Nejat travels to Istanbul to find her daughter, Ayten, and discovers a complex story of love, family secrets, and social injustice. Along the way, he encounters Lotte, a passionate activist dedicated to fighting for human rights and freedom, and their paths become intertwined in a journey of self-discovery and unexpected connections.

Does The Edge of Heaven have end credit scenes?

No!

The Edge of Heaven does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of The Edge of Heaven

Explore the complete cast of The Edge of Heaven, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.


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Ratings and Reviews for The Edge of Heaven

See how The Edge of Heaven is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where The Edge of Heaven stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Metacritic

85

Metascore

8.8

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

90%

TOMATOMETER

review

89%

User Score

TMDB

72

%

User Score

Take the Ultimate The Edge of Heaven Movie Quiz

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The Edge of Heaven Quiz: Test your knowledge of the poignant film 'The Edge of Heaven' with this challenging quiz.

What motivates Ali Aksu to invite Yeter Öztürk to live with him?

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for The Edge of Heaven

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Read the complete plot summary of The Edge of Heaven, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


Retired widower Ali Aksu (Tuncel Kurtiz), a Turkish immigrant residing in Bremen, Germany, believes he finally has a remedy for his loneliness upon meeting Yeter Öztürk (Nursel Köse). He offers her a monthly stipend to leave her life as a prostitute and move in with him. After facing threats from two Turkish Muslims because of her profession, she reluctantly agrees to his proposal. Meanwhile, Ali’s son, Nejat Aksu (Baki Davrak), who is a professor specializing in German literature, struggles to comprehend the unusual arrangement between his father and a woman he views as morally questionable. Yet, time runs out when Ali suffers a heart attack, bringing a moment of compassion as Nejat learns about Yeter’s struggles; she has been deceiving her 27-year-old daughter into believing she works as a shoe saleswoman, sending her shoes from Turkey to maintain the facade. Yeter’s aspirations for her daughter’s education resonate with Nejat, who wishes her well.

Upon returning home post-hospitalization, suspicion creeps into Ali’s mind regarding the potential affair between Yeter and Nejat. In a fit of drunken rage, Ali confronts Yeter, leading to a tragic altercation that results in her untimely death. Consequently, Ali faces imprisonment for his actions.

Determined to atone for his family’s fragmented past, Nejat journeys to Istanbul to locate Yeter’s daughter, Ayten (Nurgül Yeşilçay), and takes on the responsibility of funding her education. Faced with the challenge of finding her without familial leads and lacking recent photographs, he resorts to posting flyers with Yeter’s image scattered throughout the city, hoping for a breakthrough. A serendipitous encounter at a small bookstore for sale leads him to invest in it, only to be swept into its charm.

As tensions rise during a riot, a plainclothes officer unwittingly drops his firearm. This moment of chaos thrusts Ayten, a dedicated member of a Turkish anti-government resistance group, into a precarious situation as she snatches the gun and narrowly escapes the clutches of law enforcement. When her cell is eventually infiltrated, Ayten escapes to Bremen, embracing a new identity among political allies. Yet, her circumstances soon deteriorate due to financial woes, leaving her homeless and frantically searching for her mother in local shoe stores while her contact information slips through her fingers.

In her quest, she finds solace with Lotte, a compassionate university student who offers her food, clothing, and shelter—an act that is met with skepticism by Lotte’s mother, Susanne. As Ayten and Lotte embark on a romantic relationship, Lotte becomes dedicated to helping Ayten find her mother. However, their journey is abruptly halted when a routine traffic stop reveals Ayten’s undocumented status, triggering an appeal for political asylum. Despite Susanne’s financial backing, German authorities deem Ayten’s fear of persecution unfounded, leading to her deportation and immediate detention.

Devastated by the unfolding events, Lotte travels to Turkey in a desperate attempt to secure Ayten’s release but soon faces the grim reality of the legal challenges ahead, with Ayten facing a potential 15 to 20 years in prison. Upon learning of Lotte’s determination, Susanne urges her to reconsider her path, though Lotte remains steadfast, leading her mother to withdraw support. Finding refuge in Nejat’s bookstore, Lotte finds comfort in her new environment, with hopes that it will lead her to Ayten.

After gaining a rare prison visit with Ayten, Lotte fulfills Ayten’s request to retrieve the handgun from their previous encounter. However, her mission takes a tragic turn when local boys snatch her bag containing the firearm. During her frantic pursuit to recover it, a catastrophic incident occurs, claiming Lotte’s life in an unexpected twist of fate.

Ultimately released from prison, Ali faces deportation back to Turkey, returning to his home in Trabzon along the Black Sea coast, where his troubles continue to shadow him.

Following Lotte’s tragic death, Susanne journeys to Istanbul to uncover the truth about her daughter’s last months. Her encounter with Nejat leads her to her daughter’s diary, reawakening her resolve to liberate Ayten. Susanne’s heartfelt visit brings a glimmer of hope to Ayten, offering a chance for redemption and liberation from her prison sentence.

As Susanne learns about the significance of a Bayram festival, which honors Ibrahim’s sacrificial bond with his son Ishmael, she reflects on familial sacrifice, drawing parallels to her own circumstances. Nejat shares a poignant memory from his childhood, revealing his father’s unwavering commitment to protect him, stating, > “He would make God his enemy in order to protect me.”

With the past still stirring in his heart, Nejat removes Yeter’s flyer from the shop’s noticeboard, asks Susanne to tend to his bookstore while he travels, and sets off to Trabzon to reunite with his estranged father.

In a heartfelt gesture, Susanne invites Ayten to stay with her in Nejat’s house, rekindling a sense of belonging. As Nejat reaches Trabzon, he finds himself on the beach, waiting for his father to return, a poignant reminder of the tangled fates and enduring journeys of love, loss, and redemption.

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Edge of Heaven Trailer

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