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Poster for About Dry Grasses

About Dry Grasses

Seen it?

2023 | 197 min | Drama

Sunday Safe Betearly rating

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (92% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had a box office loss and almost no lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
Unhurried and epic, at 3 hr 17 min.
What might put you off
  • It's long: 3 hr 17 min.
  • It's in Turkish, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

A young art teacher hopes to be transferred to Istanbul after completing his mandatory duty in a remote village school in Anatolia. After accusations of inappropriate contact with a student surface, his hopes of escape fade and he descends further into an existential crisis.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    92% on Rotten Tomatoes, 88 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.6 out of 10

  • AwardsBelow par

    Won 1 Cannes award: Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress. Also nominated for 3 more Cannes awards. Plus 1 other award.

  • Box office & staying powerWeak

    $2 million worldwide on a $4 million budget

  • Buzz & cultural impactWeak

    About 26K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan

  • Deniz CeliloğluSamet
  • Merve DizdarNuray
  • Musab EkiciKenan
  • Ece BağcıSevim
  • Erdem ŞenocakTolga
  • Yüksel AksuVahit
  • Münir Can CindorukFeyyaz
  • Onur Berk ArslanoğluPrincipal Bekir
  • Yıldırım GücükDirector of Education
  • Cengiz BozkurtNail