Turtles Can Fly

Writer : Bahman Ghobadi
Director : Bahman Ghobadi
Year : 2004

Turtles can fly is a war drama, set in Iraqi-Turkish border, before the American invasion and the third feature in Ghobadi's filming career. Ghobadi relates the Turtles to the Kurdish people, and one of the characters in his movie named Hengov. The story is an insight into the refugee life in Kurdistan, a homeland that exists in the minds of the Kurd's somewhere on the border of Turkey and Iraq. The film is centralized around Hengov's sister, and a boy named Satellite as the main figures in the story, exploring through their life around the war-spoiled country.

The film opens with a refugee village setting up Antenna's to receive news about the war and the arrival of American army. The people are eager to hear about the arrival of the Americans and to hear about Saddam Hussein. "Satellite", a boy who installs satellite and leads a gang of children, is the central figure, because of his little understanding of English and his knowledge. The children in the movie are all victims of war, including satellite. Most of them are injured, yet they make a living by recovering and disarming land mines so that it can be re-sold to arms dealers in a nearby town. Satellite arranges the sales and distribution of wages among the children and they all form a gang and follow him around. Hengov and his sister Agrin and a child named Risa appear in village one day. Hengov is known as the "Boy with no arms" because he had lost both his arms and he seems to have clairvoyance. Risa, is a blind boy whose actually the son of Agrin, who was raped by soldiers and Hangov's arms were shot when the soldiers tried to drown the children. Satellite finds out about Hengov's clairvoyance when he saves satellite's gang of children from an explosion during unloading of shells from trucks. This leads to satellite bonding with Hengov, and forgiving the skirmishes they had in the past. Satellite has actually fallen for Hengov's sister from the beginning and tries to impress her in many ways. Agrin on the other hand is unstable, especially with Risa, who she thinks is a stain in her life and she hates him because of the memories she has. She often tries to abandon the little child, but Hengov refuses to let go of the child. Agrin ties the child to a rock and throws him in the river and commits suicide. Hengov see's a vision of this, but he is too late to help. The story ends with Hengov grieving on the rock from where Agrin jumped off, and a disabled satellite looking away as the American soldiers pass him by.

The Movie portrays the misery and suffering of war through the Kurd's life and living. The eagerness of the Kurdish people to learn of American invasion, to be rescued from Saddam Hussein's reign, and the struggle of the children to make a living in the harsh world of war. 

The intervention of Media, has been significant along the movie from the very start. News and information holds value among the people, and it is clear as to why satellite is one of the central characters, since he brings in the news, and provides a medium to acquire news. The movie silently communicates to us, about the terror of war and the importance of media and communication. Iran entered Turtles Can Fly for Academy Award consideration in 2005. The film has won numerous awards, including The Peace Film Award 2005, Golden Seashell Best Film 2004, and many other. 

Conclusion : Turtles can Fly is a movie directed and written by Bahman Ghobadi, about the despair and misery of the Kurd's before the American invasion in Iraq-Turkish border. The story plots the hopes and dreams of a village and the life of the refugees of war. The central characters instills within our mind, the terror of war, and the aftermath it leaves behind. Ghobadi however has left a little glimpse of hope when he wrapped up his movie. Turtles can Fly is a representation of the suffering of kurdish society. It portrays the true face of war.

--Abhijith G--