Undeniably amongst the most powerful, provocative & pragmatic narratives to surface on the silver screen in recent years, Mustang is a beautifully balanced blend of skillful direction, sensible writing & terrific performances that takes a much-needed dig at patriarchy & conservatism and also works as a joyful celebration of sisterhood.

Set in a small Turkish village, the story of Mustang follows five young orphaned sisters whose lives are changed completely when they are caught harmlessly playing with some boys on a beach, after which their conservative family bars them from going to school anymore and begins marrying them off one by one without their consent.

Co-written & directed by Deniz Gamze Ergüven in what is actually her feature film debut, Mustang takes only a…

A better The Virgin Suicides than The Virgin Suicides. The contract between the film’s most joyous and its saddest moment could not be much extremer, and neither is insincere. Lale, Nur, Selma, Ece, Sonay — it will be difficult, if not impossible, to find five better leads of such young age for a picture like this. It is not only their first-rate acting skills, but their utmost authenticity in mannerism and expression too, that make Mustang more than just another cinematic critique towards arranged marriages. It is a coming-of-age drama, which reflects upon its five central protagonists as well as the society that so decisively influences their lives, whilst hinting at the transition that is bound to happen, even if…

70/100

A.V. Club review. Rare case of a film that I started out hating and wound up kind of loving. Early scenes have the five sisters behaving almost as a single organism, manic and undifferentiated; this proves to have a strategic purpose, as they're subsequently "picked off" one by one by the serial killer known as Patriarchy. Comparison to The Virgin Suicides is unavoidable (though I confess that it didn't occur to me until I read other reviews; saw Coppola's film only once, when it opened, and really need to revisit it), but Ergüven's take on the subject is at once less artful and more emotionally direct. For whatever reason, the tradeoff works for me here much more often than…

Movies 2018 - 11. Mustang (2015; written by Deniz Gamze Ergüven and Alice Winocour; directed by Deniz Gamze Ergüven)

🌮🌮🌮🌮 (4 tacos)

As five sisters ascend to womanhood, they must deal with more restrictions enforced by their grandmother and uncle. Mustang is a coming of age story set amongst a culture with tougher guidelines for women. Marriages are often arranged and medical procedures are sought to confirm girls’ virginity. It is always eye-opening to watch different cultural norms at play in international cinema. Here, it was thrilling to watch the rebellion of these five free-spirited teens against the conservative nature of their only living family members. Great performances all around especially from the main actress, the young Günes Sensoy, who…