Turtles Can Fly
IFC Films | Release Date: February 18, 2005
8.2
USER SCORE
Universal acclaim based on 123 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
104
Mixed:
2
Negative:
17
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
10
KellyS.Feb 14, 2006
This movies images and words will haunt me for a very long time... every American should see this.
2 of 2 users found this helpful
10
tonyS.Feb 5, 2006
Well done the BBC for showing this film. It left me emotionally drained but I would like to see more of this director's work now. The children's acting was excellent considering their lack of experience.
1 of 1 users found this helpful
10
AlejandroR.Aug 26, 2005
An instant modern classic Everyone should see this film So people can think twice before going into a war.
1 of 1 users found this helpful
10
WilliamF.Jan 9, 2006
One of the best movies ive seen. brutally real.
1 of 1 users found this helpful
10
alim.Jan 8, 2006
Great movie. shows that how horribe life is and how still love makes a difference. this was the only reason to go to war.
1 of 1 users found this helpful
10
elhamk.Dec 30, 2005
The most stunning movie i have ever seen.
1 of 1 users found this helpful
9
SouravDec 31, 2010
A few days back, I watched Turtles Can Fly, a Kurdish film by the Irani filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi. I was left speechless. The film is set in a Kurdish refugee camp on the Iraqi-Turkish border on the eve of the US invasion of Iraq. The name ofA few days back, I watched Turtles Can Fly, a Kurdish film by the Irani filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi. I was left speechless. The film is set in a Kurdish refugee camp on the Iraqi-Turkish border on the eve of the US invasion of Iraq. The name of the film has a beautiful story of its own. Ghobadi was shooting an underwater sequence, when a turtle glided across his field of view, its tiny appendages flapping swiftly but effortlessly, carrying the great weight of its shell. That turtle reminded him of his people, the Kurds, how the burden of generations of migration and genocide clung to them. His film depicted utter hopelessness, but truth has to be told.

The trauma of war has been an issue much covered in cinema, but in this film, we are shown the impact that it has on those who are most innocent of all- the children. War from an innocent perspective; yet not a dark comedy- this film has a lot to offer. This also reveals another aspect of this film- the adults in the film are shown as the scared lot. They are always shown hiding, squeaking in their houses; following orthodox practices. It leaves you in a land where war can be smelled, where destruction is not a new addition to the inhabitantâ… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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10
mubagreenSep 14, 2011
the story tooks place in the kurdish refugee camps in the iraq turkish border at the eve of the us invasion of iraq....how the cruelty of war decides the fate of the poor children of iraq kurdhish people. the performances by the children arethe story tooks place in the kurdish refugee camps in the iraq turkish border at the eve of the us invasion of iraq....how the cruelty of war decides the fate of the poor children of iraq kurdhish people. the performances by the children are top notch and heartbreaking.....as the story unfolds ,it is highly captivating and leaves you astonished . westerns have to learn a lot from this iran director bahman ghobadi. i will gave this movie a 10/10......a gem of world cinema… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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2
JimF.Nov 7, 2005
Poor quality sub-titles made this disjointed movie too much work to try to follow.
0 of 2 users found this helpful
10
IncilayT.Oct 6, 2006
PERFECT!
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
NaniS.Feb 7, 2006
its an amazing experience i tried to bat out my teras but they just simply rolled down my cheeks... the film touches you so deep within that i was thining about it for a week after acctually seeing it.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
DaniC.Jan 10, 2007
These children gave a very memorable performance! I just saw this movie last night on cable. Does anyone know if this won any awards? If not, it should have!
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
WillHOct 24, 2007
I hate this film, it depressing, makes me feel powerless and reminds me that life is not inherently fare or nice. The ending leaves you without hope and never wanting to watch it again. Having said that it is a great piece of film making I hate this film, it depressing, makes me feel powerless and reminds me that life is not inherently fare or nice. The ending leaves you without hope and never wanting to watch it again. Having said that it is a great piece of film making with amazing acting from a cast of mostly (untrained) children which everyone should see once. If this review sounds schizophrenic that is because of how the film leaves you feeling, I was amazed by the power and honesty of emotion these children produced and scared that it was only a film. It reminds you that pain, suffering and death is always happening even if we choose not to see it. A Note about Tesuque comment: I'd agree that the movie has a "faint undertone of hope" but by the end it's been completely crushed and that is the great tragedy.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
MarioA.G.May 10, 2007
The movie carry you to the awful truth, the invasion to a country or the war are simple horrible. The production is one of the best that I ever see.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
7
SaurabhJJan 8, 2009
True that we can hardly imagine the effects of war on children. But I still find it very very hard to believe that a girl about 13-14 years old would kill a child and commit suicide afterward because of the pain of it all. I cannot deny that True that we can hardly imagine the effects of war on children. But I still find it very very hard to believe that a girl about 13-14 years old would kill a child and commit suicide afterward because of the pain of it all. I cannot deny that the war makes children age much faster. But it is like watching a 13 year old with a middle aged person's mind. Even after considering the horrors in Agrin's past, it is difficult to believe that she would react the way she does in the movie, especially her attitude towards the toddler. Besides, Hengov's clairvoyance introduces a supernatural element into the film. His role has no real significance and no rational explanation. For example, he sees the toddler's death in his dreams, but does not see his own sister committing suicide. Feels like some of the scenes are made with the only intention of making the audience cry. Like when Agrin leaves the toddler tied to a tree in the minefield. Despite of these shortcomings, it is an honest attempt to show the tragedy of war, especially from the point of view of children. Some of the acting performances are too good. Well worth watching.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
AnnaJan 1, 2006
Beautiful. Disturbing. Significant.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
JockM.Jan 21, 2006
Who will finance the showing of this on primetime TV? Americans should feel the personal pain of war.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
nurkOct 26, 2006
Real, irritating, shocking.....
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
shararehN.Jan 6, 2006
The best movie I have seen in my life!!! WOW!
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
ChimenFeb 16, 2006
This movie really shows what we on the outside don't see, feel or realise. I takes us into the pain that this children have been through. And it hurts to see a beautiful Kurdish girl going through emotional pain, and all the other This movie really shows what we on the outside don't see, feel or realise. I takes us into the pain that this children have been through. And it hurts to see a beautiful Kurdish girl going through emotional pain, and all the other children hurting physically and emotionally. A great movie.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
7
EstebanF.May 26, 2006
Turtles can Fly is a strange movie. It doesn't follow a real storyline, it just shows the life of the kids, and that causes a lack of continuity which can get sometimes boring. It's shocking to see the life of those poor kids, and Turtles can Fly is a strange movie. It doesn't follow a real storyline, it just shows the life of the kids, and that causes a lack of continuity which can get sometimes boring. It's shocking to see the life of those poor kids, and sadly, those things DO happen in real life. Until the ending, the movie deserved a 9/10 in my opinion, but the last part is awful. I can't tolerate that, it's too much for me. That turns from being a beautiful movie which shows the reality to an almost horror movie about a mad girl with mental problems, something that I really disliked.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
JWSep 11, 2006
This movie is way out of our league. [***SPOILERS***] And the talent of these kids is unreal -- even accounting for the fact that you can't tell if they've got the proper cadence. Besides, their powers spike twice as high when This movie is way out of our league. [***SPOILERS***] And the talent of these kids is unreal -- even accounting for the fact that you can't tell if they've got the proper cadence. Besides, their powers spike twice as high when they're saying nothing at all.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
[Anonymous]Nov 3, 2007
Intelligent, articulate and exquisitely somber. This movie shows a sad product of war: orphans and how entire societies lose future productivity thanks to personal mines.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
MoriahT.Jan 9, 2007
This is the best movie I have ever seen. I can't believe the pain that these children go through. The images from the film keep running through my head. I think everyone should see this movie.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
TesuqueFeb 16, 2007
Outsstanding movie. It offers an unflinching look at the tragedy of war--it is harsh and stark and sad--the kind of movie I sometimes cannot bring myself to watch. Yet this one captured me from the opening scene. It has wonderfully comic Outsstanding movie. It offers an unflinching look at the tragedy of war--it is harsh and stark and sad--the kind of movie I sometimes cannot bring myself to watch. Yet this one captured me from the opening scene. It has wonderfully comic moments, and a faint undertone of hope that make it very powerful.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
TLFeb 26, 2009
An amazing film. Very well directed- I had to watch every minute. I don't think I would want to watch it again. It is disturbing and raw. One is affected, it isn't something one forgets about. Days later you're still pondering An amazing film. Very well directed- I had to watch every minute. I don't think I would want to watch it again. It is disturbing and raw. One is affected, it isn't something one forgets about. Days later you're still pondering the possibilities. I don't think most Americans (outside of the US armed forces) have any idea of the impact of war in the Middle East. This film humanizes war, but is not preachy or overly political. The children are fantastic actors. I adored the child who was so faithful to Sattelite, who always got slapped by the elders. I felt that the ending gave you some hope, just to snatch it away five minutes later. It left me emotionally drained.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
JillWNov 26, 2005
Moving... Disturbing I would have liked to have let my children watch it with me, but they'd soon tire of the subtitles. The child-actors are brilliant. This is their reality, and it bites hard. The images will stew in my mind for weeks Moving... Disturbing I would have liked to have let my children watch it with me, but they'd soon tire of the subtitles. The child-actors are brilliant. This is their reality, and it bites hard. The images will stew in my mind for weeks to come.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
rosas.Nov 27, 2005
Terribly eye opening.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
ShirD.Nov 3, 2005
The best film in the worl
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
michaelt.Nov 9, 2005
This is one of the most intense and moving films I've ever seen. I saw it several days ago and its images keep coming back to me. Worthwhile but very sad.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
DavidT.Dec 20, 2005
This movie captures the other worldly quality of the experience of war from the perspective of its victoms.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
adeu.Dec 26, 2005
Bush should see this movie.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
AlexM.Dec 31, 2005
An incredible film. A window to a terrifying reality that we refuse to see. This is what we should be watching in the news. Too bad Bush wont see it.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
SheilaE.Jan 21, 2008
I found this movie to be so very tragic. and so very true to life , the children where great in it. the director knows his stuff.(you big movie tycoons need to give this cat a chance)
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
EstebanFApr 21, 2008
Hate it and love it at the same time. It is greatly done, but it is so shocking, so brutally disturbing that I would never, EVER see it again. It stays in your mind for days, even weeks, and you may even shake every time you remember its ending.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
FarsheedNov 22, 2016
Like Rhino Season, this movie by Bahman Ghobadi was extraordinary. Although you feel getting stuck in a dismal, gloomy atmosphere, you feel you like to cry and relieve. Please watch this movie.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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