Cinema is not a country for women...
And more than
often ,
this world is not a country for women...
So here is a film written
and directed by women,
on the story of women
who resist to the stupidity of the surrounding people...
... to their dictate and absurd laws...
I am not usually impressed
by these kinds of stories
about family dynamics,
where the viewer can only be limited
to remain
an impotent witness ...
But this time I was taken
to a strong and unexpected level of empathy
and affection
for the five protagonists ...
The Franco-Turkish Deniz Gamze Ergüven
presents us with five girls
as a single body with five heads...
... a beautiful sea monster
risen from the depths
of 'prevailing ignorance,
ready to eat up
everything on its path...
Charmingl, young, vital,
sensual, intelligent, delightful,
eager to have fun
and express themselves,
our five heroines will clash with an equally powerful
monster:
the wretched world that surrounds them.
In a village in northern Turkey overlooking the Black
Sea,
it is the last day of school.
Five sisters jump into the water
to celebrate the arrival of summer
but have the unfortunate idea
to do it together with classmates.
The grandmother
who has raised the orphaned girls
decides to wash the shame ...
Their big wooden house turns into a real prison,
with bars,
shapeless clothes to wear,
and the decision to keep them away even from school...
But the grandmother and the uncle
have not come to
terms
with the desire for life
of the five girls...
Amazing how even today, in 2015,
repression performs mainly
through the management of sexuality!
Which is demonized,
denied,
denigrated,
while virginity is still a subject of trade:
this girl is a virgin,
so I can sell her
to you as a worthy spouse...
The drama develops in a very complex
and dynamic manner.
It swirls with counterpoints of strong character comedy,
with breaks coming from the constant frustrations
of the protagonists
and by postponing the pleasure of the viewer...
...until it reaches a thrilling climax
obtained through the mechanisms
of sowing and admirable reaping.
We laugh and cry along with five sisters
who do not understand the reasons for such fury...
... for the conservation of obsolete traditions...
that lead to no
one’s happiness ...
...what remains stuck to our mind after this film
is these girls’ irreverence
and their desire of healthy rebellion...
... especially that of Lale, 12 years old.
She is the soul of the group:
she wants to go see at all cost the ball game,
she wants to learn to drive,
she does not want her sisters to marry strangers ,
she spits in the coffee,
she wants to flee
to Istanbul, no matter how,
even with her slippers on...
Her happy little pest face
makes us hope for the best
for the future of humanity...
... while the music of Warren Ellis invades the screen ...
It could be tricky, girls,
but we can do it!
Let’s make that Mustang run at full speed!
By Giulia Ghica Dobre
@ 21st Sarajevo SFF
Last week in Sarajevo at the 21st SFF “MUSTANG” received
the Award of the Best Film:
HEART OF SARAJEVO FOR BEST FEATURE FILM
MUSTANG
Turkey, France, Germany, Qatar
Director: Deniz Gamze Ergüven Financial Award, in the amount of 16,000 €, is provided by Council of Europe
MUSTANG
Turkey, France, Germany, Qatar
Director: Deniz Gamze Ergüven Financial Award, in the amount of 16,000 €, is provided by Council of Europe
And its cast ensemble The Award for Best Female Acting:
HEART OF SARAJEVO FOR BEST ACTRESS
Güneş Şensoy, Doga Doğuşlu, Tuğba Sunguroğlu, Elit İşcan, Ilayda Akdoğan (MUSTANG / Turkey, France, Germany, Qatar) Financial award in the amount of 2,500 €
Güneş Şensoy, Doga Doğuşlu, Tuğba Sunguroğlu, Elit İşcan, Ilayda Akdoğan (MUSTANG / Turkey, France, Germany, Qatar) Financial award in the amount of 2,500 €
