Faraway is a rom-com that revolves around Zeynep, a 49-year-old woman who travels to Croatia to visit a home her deceased mother had bought years earlier. The German film is now streaming on Netflix.
Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers
Plot summary
Zeynep is unhappy in life. Her husband, Ilyas, constantly neglects her, while her family is dysfunctional. Her life changes after the death of her mother.
In her will, Zeynep’s mother leaves her a house in Croatia that she was completely unaware of. The purchase cost was also minimal.
During the funeral, Ilyas is missing. Zeynep finds him cheerfully helping a younger cook in his restaurant. She is furious about his decision to miss something that is so important to her.
In the spur of the moment, Zeynep leaves for her house in Croatia. She finds the house, which is old and needs renovation.
She is shocked when she wakes up in the morning and finds a man sleeping naked next to her. He introduces himself as Josip and claims that he has always lived in the house.
15 years ago, as his family needed money, he sold the house to Zeynep’s mother, who allowed him to live there rent-free till the day she comes.
Zeynep had thought that the house was her mother’s home from when she lived in Croatia, but Josip tells her that it used to be a farm that was turned into a house by his family.
She tries to tell Josip that the house needs numerous improvements, but he is extremely stubborn that it is perfect as is. Zeynep wants to rent out the house but knows full well that’s not feasible in its current condition.
As Zeynep and Josip bond, he reveals that his wife left him for his brother and that both of them are now dead.
Zeynep is surprised when she receives a large offer for the house, which Josip had been hiding from her as he did not want her to sell it.
When she calls her husband and tells him that she’ll use the money from the sale to help him get more free time by hiring more staff, he confesses that he cheated on her with the young chef he had spent time with.
She is absolutely heartbroken by this revelation. She shuts herself inside her house as Josip tries to make her feel better.
Zeynep finally decides that she will do what she wants from now onwards. Her first action is to break the wall of the house to allow sunlight to come in, which Josip had been against.
Faraway (2023) ending explained in detail:
What was the past of Zeynep’s mother?
Josip gets jealous when he sees Zeynep kissing Conrad, who is much younger than her. She questions why it’s acceptable for men to be with younger women, but never older.
To apologise, he gives her mother’s diary to her and shows her the house she lived in during her younger days.
He also finally gives her permission to sell the half of the garden he still technically owned. He accepts that she can do what she wants and he needs to move on.
In the diary, Zeynep’s mother tells her about the past. One day, she realised her father was gone. Only later did she understand that he had left to fight for the country.
She and her mother eventually fled the island and she later met Zeynep’s father, who gave her a comfortable life as she had her fair share of adventures already.
However, she realised that this safe world had resulted in Zeynep becoming less of herself by the day. She bought the house to someday let her daughter come to the island and find her own happiness.
Does Zeynep reconnect with Fia?
Josip’s brother, Drazen, shows up and reveals that he was the one who made an offer of 1.2 million for the house. The true reason he wants it is that it was his home growing up.
Josip tells Zeynep that he said his brother is dead because he is dead to him. After this, Zeynep realises that she does not want to sell the house as isn’t something she should let go of.
She also confesses to Josip that she has feelings for him and the two sleep together. Fia, her daughter, arrives in the morning and is disappointed in her mother.
But Zeynep tells her that she is truly happy now. When Fia tells her about her father cheating, Zeynep responds she knows. But she wants to know the real reason Fia is here.
It’s evident that Fia misses her. After her grandmother’s death, even her mother left her. They hug and reconcile. In the morning Fia tells her that she likes women as well, and Zeynep only gives an approving laugh.
Does she end up with Josip or Ilyas?
Out of the blue, Ilyas shows up and starts fighting the men who showed interest in Zeynep. After calming them down, Zeynep and Fia leave all the men behind and go on a boat ride.
Zeynep tells Ilyas that she threw away her wedding ring and doesn’t want it back, signifying that their marriage is over.
Zeynep finally gives a eulogy for her mother and praises her for everything she did. They all celebrate the woman together.
After everybody leaves, Zeynep finds a balloon at her house. She instantly knows what she wants and chases after Josip. One look at her makes Josip realise that she wants to be with him. The film ends with the two kissing.
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