It’s the beginning of the summer. In a village in the north of Turkey, Lale and her four sisters come home from school, innocently playing with boys. The supposed debauchery of their games causes a scandal with unintended consequences. The family home slowly turns into a prison, classes on housework and cooking replace school, and marriages begin to be arranged. The five sisters, driven by the same desire for freedom, fight back against the limits imposed on them. A remarkable debut feature that exposes male aggression and highlights the limits of female subordination, Mustang is an urgent and potent work that is especially recommended for teenage female viewers in an era in which gender equality is finally being openly discussed.
Chosen by HOME staff as Pick of the Year 2016.
Revisit our May film podcast for Andy Willis and Jason Wood’s take on Mustang (starts 20 seconds in)