Trees Are Watching
| Trees Are Watching | |
|---|---|
 Teaser poster | |
| Directed by | Bahman Ghobadi |
| Screenplay by | Bahman Ghobadi |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography |
|
| Edited by | Farbod Khoshtinat |
| Music by | Bamdad Afshar |
Production companies |
|
Release date |
|
Running time | 106 minutes |
| Country | Turkey |
| Languages |
|
Trees Are Watching is a 2026 Turkish psychological horror film written, directed and co-produced by Bahman Ghobadi. Starring Eva Green it depicts the bizarre events Darya, a writer meets in the forest after returning to her hometown with her daughter.
The film had its world premiere at the Centrepiece section of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival on 18 September 2026.
Synopsis
Darya, a writer fascinated by the spiritual connection between trees, returns to her hometown of Mardin with her deaf daughter. They stay in her former family home, where Darya is reminded of her childhood friendship with twin sisters, Spin and Nihal. The area around the house has been heavily deforested, leaving only two mysterious trees planted in memory of the sisters. Darya soon begins experiencing strange nightly encounters with a sinister entity that appears as a chair made from local wood. As she recalls her troubled relationship with the twins, she remembers that Nihal once claimed to be frightened by a similar supernatural presence in the house. Her fear and disturbing memories gradually cause Darya to question her own sanity.
Cast
- Eva Green as Darya
- Murat Yıldırım
- Lucas Akoskin as Ross
- Zeynep Çamcı as Spin
- Eren Demir as Balıkçı
- Ozlem Tas as mother
Production
The film presented by Open the Door and a MIJ Film production is written, directed and co-produced by Bahman Ghobadi, Seyfi Sahin, Lydia Dean Pilcher and Golriz Ehtiati.
The film co-produced by Martin Scorsese began filming in Istanbul, Turkey in December 2024.
Release
Trees Are Watching had its world premiere in the Centrepiece section of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival on 18 September 2026.
The film was screened for the Asian Premiere on 28 October 2026 in the Competition section of the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival, where it competed for Tokyo Grand Prix.
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo International Film Festival | 4 November 2026 | Tokyo Grand Prix | Trees Are Watching | Nominated | |
References
- ↑ Siddhant Adlakha (19 September 2026). "'Trees Are Watching' Review: Eva Green Fights A.I. Generated Horrors in Self-Serious Misfire Boarded by Martin Scorsese". Variety. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
- ↑ Erbland, Kate (4 August 2026). "TIFF Adds More Than 60 New Titles, Including Festival Winners 'La Gradiva' and 'Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!'". IndieWire. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
- ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (17 September 2026). "Martin Scorsese Joins Bahman Ghobadi's Eva Green Horror Film 'Trees Are Watching' Ahead Of Toronto Bow". Deadline. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
- ↑ Qaissieh, Zaid (19 December 2024). "Murat Yıldırım and Eva Green star in Martin Scorsese's Two Trees, now filming in Turkey". Al Bawaba. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
- ↑ Goodfellow, Melanie (4 August 2026). "TIFF Centrepiece To Showcase 54 Features With Kamila Andini's 'Four Seasons in Java' & Avi Nesher's 'Our Loves' Among World Premieres". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
- ↑ "Trees Are Watching". Toronto International Film Festival. 7 July 2026. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
- ↑ "Trees Are Watching". Tokyo International Film Festival. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
- ↑ Shackleton, Liz (30 September 2026). "Tokyo Film Festival Unveils Competition Line-up With World Premieres From Garin Nugroho, Milcho Manchevski & Qiu Jiongjiong". Deadline. Retrieved 4 October 2026.
- ↑ Naman Ramachandran (1 October 2025). "Garin Nugroho, Mishima Yukiko, Qiu Jiongjiong Titles Among 15 in Tokyo Film Festival Competition". Variety. Retrieved 4 October 2026.