Review of Mustang (2015) by José C — 22 Feb 2016

Mustang, set in Turkey, is a powerful depiction of five sisters that are orphaned when their parents die and raised primarily by an uncle and their grandmother.

The film is spoken through the mind's eye of Lala, (magnificently played by Günes Sensoy) the youngest, and most observant of the kids. Lale witnesses and hears horrifying things, but she is the glue of the family.

The acting is near perfect and the direction and narrative adds to the third act which is perfectly done. Early in the film, we learn the uncle believes the girls aren't pure and may not be able to be married if they aren't. He then essentially jails them at home so as to control their behavior. The girls don't lose their spirit and stay together. The love they have for each other spills off the screen and all around you. The grandmother and the aunt love the kids, but men rule the land in Turkey and are subservient to men. This leads to some cultural dynamics that Lale isn't too happy with. The girls are taken out of school and given no way to better themselves other then to be married to strong young men who can take care of them. These are themes that could apply to many cultures, but are exquisitely done in one of the must-see films from 2015.

There are many messages you can take after watching this powerful Deniz Gamze Ergüven (co-writer/director) vision , but you will not be left with dry eyes.