Watch Turtles Can Fly
- PG-13
- 2004
- 1 hr 35 min
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8.0 (21,066)
Turtles Can Fly is a 2004 film directed by Bahman Ghobadi that takes place in a Kurdish refugee camp on the Iraq-Turkey border in the weeks leading up to the American invasion of Iraq in 2003. The film tells the story of a group of children who are struggling to survive in the midst of war, poverty, and political instability. At the center of the film is a young boy named Satellite, played by Soran Ebrahim, who is known for his ability to install and repair satellite dishes. Through his work, Satellite is able to keep the camp connected with the outside world, providing important news and information to the residents.
One day, a group of refugees arrives at the camp, including an armless boy named Agrin, played by Avaz Latif, and her brother Hengov, played by Saddam Hossein Feysal. Agrin is carrying a young baby girl, and it is soon revealed that she was raped by soldiers and the baby is a result of that rape. Agrin is traumatized by the experience and struggles to take care of the infant.
Satellite takes an interest in Agrin and tries to help her, but he also starts to develop a romantic interest in her. Meanwhile, Hengov becomes involved with a group of smugglers who are trying to make their way across the border into Turkey, and the situation becomes increasingly tense as the American invasion draws closer.
The film is a powerful depiction of the effects of war on children, and the ways in which they are forced to grow up far too quickly. The young actors give unforgettable performances, particularly Soran Ebrahim as Satellite and Avaz Latif as Agrin.
Director Bahman Ghobadi, who himself is Kurdish, infuses the film with a palpable sense of realism and authenticity. The film was shot in an actual refugee camp and many of the actors were themselves refugees or survivors of war, giving the film a sense of urgency and relevance.
Turtles Can Fly was widely acclaimed upon its release, earning numerous awards and nominations at festivals around the world. It was also Iran's official submission for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 77th Academy Awards.
Overall, Turtles Can Fly is a deeply moving and unforgettable film that offers a stark and unflinching look at the realities of war and displacement through the eyes of children. It is a powerful reminder of the humanity that can still exist amidst the most difficult of circumstances, and the importance of empathy and compassion in a world that too often seems devoid of both.
Turtles Can Fly is a 2004 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 8.0 and a MetaScore of 85.