What Remains () is a 2026 drama film written and directed by Yeşim Ustaoğlu.
Plot Elif, a poet in a rough patch both from a creative and a personal standpoint, decides to make a trip.
Cast Öykü Karayel as Elif Metin Akdülger as Mehmet Ali Kayra Kul as Selim İlyas Salman as Mustafa
Production The film is a Turkish-French-Luxembourgian-Bulgarian co-production by Ustaoglu Film, Cité Films, Tarantula, and RFF International alongside MUBI, Pak Ventures and Yuvision.
Release The film premiered in the main competition of the 74th San Sebastián International Film Festival in September 2026. For its North American premiere, it was programmed at the 2026 Vancouver International Film Festival.
Reception Fabien Lemercier of Cineuropa declared What Remains a "staggeringly beautiful film", commending its "masterfully crafted, gravitas-imbued dual perspective".
Jordan Mintzer of The Hollywood Reporter described the film as "a quiet drama with deep feelings".
Reviewing for the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, Jennifer Green pointed out that the film "asks for patience and time to allow its themes, ideas and symbolism sink in".
Matthew Joseph Jenner of International Cinephile Society rated What Remains 3 out of 5 stars, singling out Karayel's acting as the element ultimately binding the film together and making it "so incredibly poignant and meaningful".
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