97 minutes, Turkish Drama with English Subtitles, M

A nominee at last year’s Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Picture is MUSTANG, a French, German & Turkish co-production that may have missed out on an Oscar, but has been a big winner across several worldwide film festivals. Set and filmed entirely in Turkey, and using a premise based on the director’s real-life experience, this drama centres on five orphaned, yet close-knit sisters living in a remote village. These young ladies are faced with several challenges growing up in very conservative surroundings, yet they always find ways to laugh and have fun. But their greatest challenge yet arrives when they are witnessed playing on the beach with a group of local young men.

After watching MUSTANG, it is easy to know why this excellent film is actor James Franco’s favourite of 2015 (released last year overseas). This organically produced motion picture is most profound exactly where it intends and needs to be – as it strikingly explores how adolescence and the freedom of learning and growing is stripped away in replacement of fast-tracking and inflicting premature adulthood. These old-fashioned ways, as seen through the eyes of the five sisters, is presented in contemporary fashion that is of utmost significance to now. There is a refreshing honesty to MUSTANG’S coming of age sub-plot and a seamless integration of heartfelt humour among the indignation that stand out as key highlights in Deniz Gamze Erguven’s directional debut. Steering a stirring performance out of her five female leads is another win MUSTANG achieves, especially when you consider that four of these young ladies have never previously acted! Highly recommended.

4 out of 5

MUSTANG – Film Trailer

Viewer Discretion 
Not one for the conservatives! 😉
My recommendation is from ages 13 plus, with parental guidance for 13-16 years of age. MUSTANG contains mature thematic elements, sexual content with no nudity, some language and a couple of incidents that aren’t graphically or explicitly shown, yet some may find disturbing, upsetting and/or confronting.

Moviedoc wishes to thank Madman Entertainment and the Cinema NOVA for the invitation to the Media Screening of MUSTANG.

Review by Moviedoc
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