The fragile lives of six people connect on emotional voyages toward forgiveness and reconciliation in Germany and Turkey. Fatih Akin's second feature, the drama The Edge of Heaven, concerns a man named Ali and his son, Nejat, a German teacher, who decide to move in with Yeter, a prostitute who sells her body in order to help pay for her daughter's college education. The father begins to care for Yeter, causing friction between himself and his son. Yeter's sudden death distances father and son. Nejat travels to find Yeter's daughter Ayten, a political activist, who is eventually arrested, deported and imprisoned in Turkey.

The director Fatih Akin tackles big ideas, big themes, in the service of which he creates believable human beings and elicits tremendous performances from his actors. It is bold and exhilarating film-making.