MIJ film launched this film in 2004 directed by Bahman Ghobadi. Soran Ebrahim (Satelite), Avaz Latif (Agrid), Hirsch Feyssal (Henkov), and Abdol Rahman Karim (Rega)were starring this film. This film got some awards for the best film category. They won San Sebastian International Film Festival, Tribilisi IFF, Berlin FF, San Paulo IFF, Rotterdam IFF, and Chicago IFF. TCF is a story of children at war and finally could free from colonialism.
TFC is set in native Kurdistan, Irak in condition of “rezim Saddam Husein”. They had Satellite (13) for installation of antennae local village look for news of Saddam. Satellite is the leader of the children in the evacuation who swept and cleared the minefields then arranged them into unexploded mines.
A crippled boy named Henkov (13) and 2 his siblings, Agrid (12) and Rega (2) from Halabech evacuated to Kurdistan after their parents were killed by American Soldier. Satelite didn’t like Henkov because Henkov not only could sweep the minefields but also could predict about future. Satelit thought that he wouldn’t be needed again in the evacuation.
People in the evacuation thought that Rega was Agrid’s brother. But actually Rega was Agrid’s son. It was heard impossible but when they were in Halabech, Agrid was sexual abused by some American soldiers and she bore Rega. She hated Rega very much! Living in the war, in her age, she had to bring up his son and take care her older brother who didn’t have hands. She had commited everything to leave Rega but she always failed. Agrid’s life was so complicated and she was in depression.
The situation was cooler when American soldiers told that Saddam had been defeated. But it was too late to Agrid. Agrid had killed his son with sunk him to the river and she suicided by jump down from steepbank.
TFC is an interesting film. Although the setting is at war, this film doesn’t give many violence. Soldiers were shot when they walked or they marched. It gives us many moral messages. This film showed us how colonialism gave bad effects for children. This film is rather difficult to understand because the main conflict appeared in the middle of the film. However, Turtles can Fly is a good educational film to watch!!
