Turtles Can Fly

A friend recommended I watch this movie. I did. 

A sad and poignant film is set against the backdrop of savagery and aftermath of war; a camp situated somewhere near Iraq-Turkey border populated only by very young children and old codgers. One wonders where have all the adult men and women gone. One then deduces, they are either fighting the war or dead fighting the war. Most likely, dead; thus making the boys orphans.

When all else has already failed one must be inventive in order to survive. That young genius is the hero, Satellite. He is so known for he buys and installs satellites to this remote camp site where old men want to watch news and  know when Americans are coming to rescue them. Satellite has learnt few workable English words and behaves like a lord of the camp. 

He has an army of boys. He pays them few Dinars to collect unexploded land-mines to sell them to arms dealers for the purchase of guns and shells to defend themselves.

Satellite is attracted to Agrin. She, her brother and perhaps her young son seem not to be the part of this camp, meaning they seem to be ostracized. They do not participate in mine gathering activities. Nor do they get paid. They are poor; they are hungry. Her brother has lost both of his arms, assumably in bombardment or by un-exploded land-mines. The young child whom Agrin calls 'bastard' is an enormous burden for her especially, when she has lost all faith in life and living. 

A  2004 Iran-Iraq collaborative movie directed by well established director Bahman Ghobadi is sad and moving. The girl has done a marvelous job of projecting disinterest in life only through facial expressions. She hardly speaks. The armless boy has done fine job of showing helplessness in helping the sister or the situation. 

There are few unanswered questions in my head. Except for Agrin I did not see a female character. Why? Whose child is that little boy? Why does she call him a bastard? Since none of the actors are professionals, because I believe they were picked at random,  I expected a seasoned director to handle child acting better, specifically Satellite's. He was very loud and screaming out the orders all the time. What was the need for that? 

But if one is in mood for a serious cry, I recommend this film.