The focus is firmly on telling over showing in Turkish filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s cerebral film about an art teacher in a quiet Anatolian village who is accused of inappropriate behaviour.

Cinephiles will rejoice at the arrival of an art-house event movie, and the return of Ceylan’s painterly eye and stark philosophy. His grip can be hypnotic.

Tiptoes around the edge of being suffocatingly verbose, and there are scenes that could stand a tighter edit. Still, the meaty, novelistic writing and exceptional quality of the performances make for a rich and engrossing viewing experience.

This is a movie about a pathetic man who is nonetheless relatable to those of us who are watching him.