MUSTANG
"The effortless sororal chemistry between these young actresses is a compelling reason to seek out Mustang and to welcome the arrival of Ergüven as a promising new female voice in the Turkish cinema scene." – Indiewire
In a remote, seaside village in northern Turkey, five orphaned sisters frolic boisterously with their male classmates on the way home from school, buoyed by the end of term and the prospect of summer break. Their innocent physical play catches the eye of a disapproving villager who swiftly informs the girls' caretaker grandmother and domineering uncle. Panic and hysteria quickly set in as the adults take draconian steps to safeguard the girls' virtue and marriage prospects.
Shot in a naturalistic style and winning the Cannes Directors' Fortnight Europa Cinemas Prize, Deniz Gamze Ergüven's debut feature is an understated, heartfelt feminist drama that highlights the sisters' fierce unity and resilience as well as the bittersweet loss of their childhood.
"A beautifully mounted story about the demonization of young female sexuality." – Variety