Mustang (2015)

Drama

Director: Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Writers: Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Alice Winocour
Starring: Günes Sensoy, Doga Zeynep Doguslu, Tugba Sunguroglu, Elit Iscan

"Their spirit would never be broken"

A raw, funny and incredibly moving story about sisterhood and female rebellion.

After some innocent play with boys from school is taken for sexual activity, the lives of five orphaned sisters living in a remote Turkish village becomes almost unbearable, when they are confined to their home, which is turned by their uncle and their grandmother into a "wife factory." They are removed from school, their phones and any means of contact with the outside world are confiscated and they're forced to wear only knee-high, "shit-colored" dresses when other people are around. One by one, they are brokered for marriage like stock animals. Meanwhile, the youngest tries to break free and dreams of taking charge of her own life.

First time director Deniz Gamze Ergüven manages to deliver an intriguing study of culture and tradition in a contemporary society, showcasing the way it perceives women and girls' role and sexuality. His film brilliantly captures both the intimacy of the sisters – the girls' relationship is one of the most genuine depictions of the sisterly bond in cinema – and the mounting tension as they start to chafe against the lives that have been ordained for them.

Plot summary from IMDb: When five orphan girls are seen innocently playing with boys on a beach, their scandalized conservative guardians confine them while forced marriages are arranged.

Awards: Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 32 wins & 43 nominations.
Runtime: 97 min
PG-13