Turtles Can Fly (2004) Lakposhtha parvaz mikonand (original title)

Director:

Bahman Ghobadi

Writer:

Bahman Ghobadi

Release Date:

17 February 2005 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

Near the Iraqi-Turkish border on the eve of an American invasion, refugee children like 13-year-old Kak (Ebrahim), gauge and await their fate.

Plot Keywords:

American | Landmine | Kurdistan | Refugee | Boy

Awards:

20 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Soran Ebrahim	...	Satellite
Avaz Latif	...	Agrin
Saddam Hossein Feysal	...	Pashow
Hiresh Feysal Rahman	...	Hengov
Abdol Rahman Karim	...	Riga
Ajil Zibari	...	Shirkooh

Directed by
Bahman Ghobadi

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Bahman Ghobadi

Produced by
Babak Amini	....	producer
Hamid Karim Batin Ghobadi	....	producer
Hamid Ghavami	....	producer
Abbas Ghazali	....	executive producer
Bahman Ghobadi	....	producer

Original Music by
Hossein Alizadeh

Cinematography by
Shahriar Assadi

Film Editing by
Mostafa Kherghehpoosh
Hayedeh Safiyari

Production Design by
Bahman Ghobadi

Production Management
Sheyk Mohammad	....	production manager
Sadegh Sourchi	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jalal Saed Panah	....	assistant director
Shah Hosseinie Shahram	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Bahman Ardalan	....	sound

Thanks
Amin Mahdavi	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Mij Film Co.
• Bac Films

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Alta Films (2005) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Bac Films (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• Cinéart (2005) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• ICA (2005) (UK) (theatrical)
• IFC Films (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Istituto Luce (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Mitosfilm (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Office Sanmarusan Inc. (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Palace Films (2005) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Primer Plano Film Group (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Seville Pictures (2005) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Four Films (2006) (Chile) (all media)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Lakposhtha parvaz mikonand" - Iran (original title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence, disturbing images and mature thematic material, all involving children

Runtime:

98 min | 95 min | Argentina:97 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival) | Turkey:92 min (TV version)

Country:

Iran | France | Iraq

Language:

Kurdish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-15 | Spain:13 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | Brazil:14 | Taiwan:R-12 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | Singapore:PG | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:15

Company:

Mij Film Co.

Trivia:

Selected as Iran's submission in the Best Foreign Film category for the 2004 Oscars.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Cinema Iran (2005) (TV)

Heartbreak in the High Hills of No Man's Land.

The trauma of war has been an issue much covered in cinema, but in this film, we are shown the impact that it has on those who are most innocent of all – the children. The orphaned children are a range of interesting characters presented to us here, from Satellite, a sharp TV programmer to Pashow, an armless but still doggedly determined boy. The supporting children are shown as bright eyed watchers of war, eagerly awaiting it so that they can try their hand at the missiles, which, at first sounds amusing, but then escalates into something much more horrific, and we follow their misadventures through grainy camera-work, improvised dialogue and flashbacks.

The performances delivered by the children are nothing short of astounding. In the lead, Soran Ebrahim is in parts a mixture of caprice, zest and energy, and it is he who grasps our heart and makes for the first, slightly more light-hearted part of the film. In a completely different role, Avaz Latif is the film's heartbreak, and the one that endures the worst. Her performance is wordless, but she manages to portray all her deepest emotions through a look or gesture. When we delve deeper into the plot to realise exactly how much her character has suffered, it is then that the horror of war kicks in.

Turtles Can Fly is not one for the easily depressed. Truth be told, after watching it, I was still in tears for several minutes, utterly helpless and wishing that something could be done about the constant loss of innocence. Its message is blatant, and though a bleak one, presented in a harsh, disturbing war, makes a welcome change from all the Left, Right and Centre propaganda given to us in the Media. Turtles is a film that speaks for itself; no advertising needed.