Film No. 37 (2016) June 13th. 6.30 PM LUNA Paradiso, Northbridge.
"A bracing portrait of a young girl and her teenage sisters coming of age". (A short summary from Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post).
There were many who were surprised Mustang did not receive the accolades they felt it deserved at Cannes in 2015. Given the themes of the rich crop of contestants last year I can understand why this Turkish power house of a film may have struggled to win but I wouldn't have been surprised if it had. The narrative is as powerful as the film's poster. I was both moved and enraged by Mustang.
An American feral horse which is typically small and lightly built is how an on-line dictionary defines a mustang. Mustang makes no excuses for the girl we learn is the "mustang" of the 5 sisters. Lale is the youngest and it is through her eyes we see the vibrant beauty and uncomplicated innocence she and her sisters exude. The early scenes of Lale farewelling her teacher prior to summer break then walking to the ocean with her sisters to frolic with boys, is telling.
Lale's narration tells us that after their ocean adventure, life would never be the same. It's then that the power of the film entraps us. The love and commitment each long-haired beauty has for the others is never eroded but we watch their union gradually disintegrate. Their guardians (uncle and grandmother) are obliged to find respected partners for the older girls. An organized procession of families regarded as having "approved partners" for the girls are hosted in the house (definitely not a home)but not all receive the same welcome.
So often a film becomes cliched when it's obvious where the conclusion lies. Mustang doesn't have a single one of those moments. We are so taken by the power of our mustang we are inwardly cheering her on. Mustang has remained in my thoughts for days. A film is hard to compare to a quality pair of shoes. Shoes last for years, I feel this film is the onscreen equivalent. 11GUMS.
An American feral horse which is typically small and lightly built is how an on-line dictionary defines a mustang. Mustang makes no excuses for the girl we learn is the "mustang" of the 5 sisters. Lale is the youngest and it is through her eyes we see the vibrant beauty and uncomplicated innocence she and her sisters exude. The early scenes of Lale farewelling her teacher prior to summer break then walking to the ocean with her sisters to frolic with boys, is telling.
Lale's narration tells us that after their ocean adventure, life would never be the same. It's then that the power of the film entraps us. The love and commitment each long-haired beauty has for the others is never eroded but we watch their union gradually disintegrate. Their guardians (uncle and grandmother) are obliged to find respected partners for the older girls. An organized procession of families regarded as having "approved partners" for the girls are hosted in the house (definitely not a home)but not all receive the same welcome.
So often a film becomes cliched when it's obvious where the conclusion lies. Mustang doesn't have a single one of those moments. We are so taken by the power of our mustang we are inwardly cheering her on. Mustang has remained in my thoughts for days. A film is hard to compare to a quality pair of shoes. Shoes last for years, I feel this film is the onscreen equivalent. 11GUMS.
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