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Turtles Can Fly

Play trailer Poster for Turtles Can Fly PG-13 2004 1h 36m Drama War Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
87% Tomatometer 71 Reviews 94% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
In a Kurdish refugee camp in 2003, residents await the U.S. invasion of Iraq, hoping for Saddam's defeat but fearing a violent aftermath. Satellite (Soran Ebrahim) organizes children into work gangs, disarming and selling land mines to arms dealers. Satellite falls for Agrin (Avaz Latif), who comes to the camp with one-armed brother Hengov (Hiresh Feysal Rahman) and baby brother Riga (Abdol Rahman Karim). As the invasion starts, Satellite looks for a satellite dish, so the camp can watch the war.
Turtles Can Fly

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Set in Iraq after the fall of Saddam, Turtles Can Fly is being hailed as extraordinary, moving, and lyrical.

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Critics Reviews

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Ann Hornaday Washington Post Sep 26, 2005
Despite its fanciful title, Turtles Can Fly leads viewers into a slough of despond, one in which not just hope is strangled but virtually any possibility for simple human kindness. Go to Full Review Marjorie Baumgarten Austin Chronicle Jun 4, 2005
3.5/5
An emotional triumph. Go to Full Review Susan Walker Toronto Star Apr 22, 2005
3/4
A story that renders into poetry the sad facts of survival for child victims of war. Go to Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia Jan 4, 2021
7/10
A painful and moving film about misery, the human cost of war and the social condition in refugee camps. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Ken Hanke Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) Dec 6, 2006
4/5
It's a political work, but Ghobadi's film is more in search of the common experience of humanity. Go to Full Review Enrique Buchichio Uruguay Total Apr 21, 2006
5/5
Una pelcula conmovedora, sugestiva y potica, donde gran parte de la conviccin proviene de sus increbles actores no profesionales. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Mosa T. @mousa Mar 15, 2026 People say you can't rewatch this film again. They are right about that. What a film See more Bayad K @RT45433719 Feb 7, 2025 I can’t even count how many times this movie made me cry. Truly a masterpiece. Kurds really CAN make good movies. See more Apr 20, 2020 my heart shattered while watching this film, I could not even begin to fathom their suffering. See more Apr 10, 2020 Beautiful, heartbreaking, sweet and sad. The young actors were all wonderful. See more Sep 27, 2019 That was a masterpiece ♥️ See more Apr 26, 2017 One of the most incredible movies ever made. Honest heart wrenching and beautifully poetic. See more Read all reviews
Turtles Can Fly

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Cast & Crew

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Bahman Ghobadi

Director

Soran Ebrahim

Kak Satellite

Hiresh Feysal Rahman

Hengov

Avaz Latif

Agrin

Saddam Hossein Feysal

Pashow

Abdol Rahman Karim

Riga

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Turtles Can Fly

Turtles Can Fly (2004) Turtles Can Fly (2004) Director, Bahman Ghobadi on the set of TURTLES CAN FLY. Avaz Latif (Agrin) in the film TURTLES CAN FLY directed by Bahman Ghobadi. Soran Ebrahim (Kak Satteliet) in the film TURTLES CAN FLY directed by Bahman Ghobadi. Abdol Rahman Karim (Rega) in the film TURTLES CAN FLY directed by Bahman Ghobadi. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In a Kurdish refugee camp in 2003, residents await the U.S. invasion of Iraq, hoping for Saddam's defeat but fearing a violent aftermath. Satellite (Soran Ebrahim) organizes children into work gangs, disarming and selling land mines to arms dealers. Satellite falls for Agrin (Avaz Latif), who comes to the camp with one-armed brother Hengov (Hiresh Feysal Rahman) and baby brother Riga (Abdol Rahman Karim). As the invasion starts, Satellite looks for a satellite dish, so the camp can watch the war.
Director
Bahman Ghobadi
Producer
Babak Amini, Hamid Karim Batin Ghobadi, Hamid Ghavami, Bahman Ghobadi
Screenwriter
Bahman Ghobadi
Distributor
IFC Films
Production Co
Mij Film Co., Palace Films
Rating
PG-13 (Disturbing Images|All Involving Children|Mature Thematic Material|Violence)
Genre
Drama, War
Original Language
Kurdish
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 10, 2004, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Feb 18, 2005
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 19, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$256.8K
Runtime
1h 36m
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