Öte is a Turkish word that means beyond. Lela, a Black woman, backpacking across Turkey connects with locals more deeply than she expected and finds herself drawn to stay.

Lia, a retired teacher from Georgia, learns from her young neighbor, Achi, that her long-lost transgender niece, Tekla, has crossed the border into Turkey. In search of Tekla, Lia travels to Istanbul with the unpredictable Achi, where they explore the hidden depths of the city.