Doctor Kemal is head of a private hospital, is ambitious and has the best intentions for the residents of Istanbul. He is the best candidate for mayor of the Beyoglu district – in his opinion. An opinion not shared by his sceptical ex-wife; nor by the voters who come to eat and drink at his expense; nor the party leader, who even after several meetings still thinks he's an architect rather than a doctor; not even his faithful chauffeur. The slogan 'the doctor has the cure' might be catchy, but the doctor has little clue how sick the climate of political nepotism really is.
In the southeast region of Turkey, the Altun family lives in a small mountainside village plagued by a 25-year war, making their daily life a hellish struggle. As the war continues to intensify, the family is forced to migrate west to the city of Istanbul. While Haydar and Isa Altun decide to stay in Turkey with their young children, Davut Altun and his family migrate north to Norway, enlisting the help of smugglers. They eventually reach their destination and find work in a supermarket, but life as refugees proves relentless. Back in Istanbul, Haydar watches over the family as his wife undergoes an operation due to pregnancy complications. Their son makes friends with a group of transvestites, helping him to understand why he has felt different all of his life. While liberating, his newfound identity is seen as a disgrace to the rest of his family, leading him to flee from the abuse it produces.
