A tender coming-of-age story, BEYTO examines the struggle of being true to oneself amid clashing cultures, and the barriers we must overcome to find happiness.

Beyto is the pride and joy of his Turkish immigrant family and has a bright future ahead of him: he’s popular, a competitive swimmer, a dutiful son, and a hardworking apprentice. But when Beyto falls in love with his swim coach, Mike, he struggles between conforming to his conservative parents’ expectations and following his own desires. When his parents find out the truth about Mike, they hatch a plan to lure Beyto back to their village in Turkey and marry him off to his childhood friend, forcing him to choose between the life his family has created for him and the one that he wants.

Director Gitta Gsell brings an honest, heartwarming portrait of coming out and the unexpected connections that form along the way, delivering a sympathetic examination of love, tradition, and family.

— Grace McNealy