In this tense, timely, and poignant drama, Yakup, a beloved music teacher and Turkish dissident, has fled his country for fear of political persecution and is seeking asylum in the U.S. While working in the kitchen of a New York City restaurant, he struggles desperately to find a way to bring his wife and daughter into the country to live with him. Finding legal immigration channels a dead end, he reluctantly engages with a dodgy smuggler, a decision that only intensifies his concern for his family’s safety, sending the kindly Yakup into a downward spiral. First-time feature filmmakers Nadir Sarıbacak (known for his role in Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Winter Sleep) and Samy Pioneer deftly capture the details of Turkish American and migrant life in the big city, while also expressively conveying their protagonist’s troubled state of mind. Gazelle isn’t just an urgent tale about our immigration crisis—it’s a touching story about displacement and its deep psychological and physical toll.

Paulo is a 45-year-old Brazilian flight attendant. He is internationally famous in the after-hours world for the fabulous persona he has worked tirelessly to create, his artistic alter-ego, Gazelle. Paulo is HIV+ but never got sick before and now he sees his own life is in danger for the first time. With the sudden and tragic sad death of Eric, his partner of seven years, Paulo must pass through a life transformation. Looking to survive, he embarks on a conscious transformation, beginning with filtering what matters in his life. On his path, besides the new lover, he finds collaborators that push him forward in life and show more meanings for the word Love.

As a soccer star back in the day, Eugenio used to be known as “The Gazelle” for his speed and dexterity in the field. He retired young, unable to score a trophy. Now 72 and living in a retirement home, Eugenio is determined to win a dance contest with the help of his partner Carmen and his openly gay instructor Daniel.