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June 11, 2016
Sweeping Film Festivals Worldwide! Deniz Gamze Ergüven's 'Mustang' | MOVIE
MOVIE | Oscar® Foreign Language Film Nominee and Winner of Numerous Film Festival Awards!
Deniz Gamze Ergüven's Debut Film, Mustang
Screened at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, Deniz Gamze Ergüven's Mustang immediately garnered critical acclaim and buzz from international media. It's hard to believe this is her feature debut, given its masterful structure, beautiful cinematography, and the overwhelming presence of the five young actresses playing the sisters. Premiering June 11 (Saturday) at Cine Switch Ginza and other theaters nationwide.
Text by OPENERS
A Beautiful Director's Work, Named Among "10 Directors to Watch"
The director and actresses of Mustang, a film that has been a sensation at film festivals worldwide since its premiere at Cannes last year, were a striking sight on the red carpet. What was even more remarkable was that they were adorned in CHANEL. "A beautiful sisterhood film by a beautiful new director" – the film's visuals and themes evoke Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides, leading one to wonder why such a high-fashion maison would support it. Some might even call the buzz excessive.
However, once you see the film, your perspective shifts entirely. Its masterful structure and stunning visuals are far beyond what one would expect from a debut feature. Furthermore, the overwhelming presence of the five young actresses is truly captivating.
© CHANEL / Olivier Borde
The film's raw, vibrant energy, mirroring its original title MUSTANG—wild horses—is driven by the fresh, spirited charm of its young protagonists. The opening might suggest a typical coming-of-age story about innocent girls navigating adolescence and their futures. However, the narrative takes a stark turn when the sisters are punished for bathing with boys, subjected to confinement and harsh discipline by their grandmother and uncle under the guise of tradition. Their phones are confiscated, and they are forced into marriage. Witnessing their constrained lives evokes a profound sadness, a realization that such lack of freedom persists in the world.—a deep sense of sorrow.
This film reflects the experiences of director Deniz Gamze Ergüven, who grew up in Turkey. While the grandmother is portrayed as a cold figure, restricting the girls' freedom, it's worth considering her perspective. Having lost her own parents early, she raised five granddaughters, ensuring they received an education and were brought up with care. Perhaps her seemingly harsh actions stemmed from a desire to secure their future through marriage, believing it to be the path to happiness.
Yet, the girls' desperate pleas to marry for love, and the tears streaming from their eyes, visible even through the veils, compel us to wish for their liberation from the grandmother's feudal mindset.—The innocent scenes of the five sisters playing by the water, their intertwined bare feet, exude the sweet radiance and melancholy of youth. However, the underlying volcanic energy, meticulously and delicately captured through vibrant visuals and luminous cinematography, naturally inspires support. Their eventual freedom might herald the dawn of a new era, shedding old traditions.
© CHANEL / Olivier Borde
Filming coincided with director Deniz Gamze Ergüven's pregnancy, but the result was a long-running hit upon its release in France in June 2015. Her debut film was selected as France's official submission for the Academy Awards and earned a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Since its screening at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, its masterful structure, beautiful cinematography, and the captivating presence of the five young actresses have earned widespread acclaim from international media, making it a sensation at film festivals globally. By the time of its Japanese release, it had already garnered 38 awards. Deniz Gamze Ergüven, continuing her remarkable success, was named one of "10 Directors to Watch" by Variety magazine.
The five actresses playing the sisters were discovered through auditions and scouting by the director. With the exception of Erith Iscan, who plays the third sister Ece, this was their acting debut. However, they collectively received the Lumière Award for Most Promising Actress, the Sarajevo Film Festival Best Actress Award, a Special Jury Award for Best Actress at the Sakhalin International Film Festival, and the Best Actress Award at the 46th International Film Festival of India. Güneş Şensoy, who plays the youngest sister Lale, 13, delivered a powerful performance, including cutting her own hair, earning significant praise.
French screen icon Marion Cotillard remarked, "I am proud that such a magnificent film represents France at this year's Academy Awards." Mustang, a film capturing global attention, will be released on Saturday, June 11, 2016, at Cine Switch Ginza, YEBISU GARDEN CINEMA, and other theaters nationwide.
The Sweet and Bittersweet Rebellion of Five Beautiful Sisters Deprived of Freedom
Lale, the youngest of five beautiful sisters living in a small village in Turkey, 1000 kilometers from Istanbul, is 13 years old. Having lost their parents in an accident ten years prior, they now live with their grandmother and uncle. Once joyful in their school lives, the sisters are suddenly forbidden from leaving the house due to old customs and feudal beliefs. Their phones are hidden, their doors locked, turning them into "birds in a cage." As they fight to regain their freedom, they are one by one married off to men chosen by their grandmother. Amidst this, Lale secretly devises a plan...
Mustang
Opening Saturday, June 11, 2016, at Cine Switch Ginza, YEBISU GARDEN CINEMA, and other theaters nationwide.
Director | Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Music | Warren Ellis
Starring | Güneş Şensoy, Doğa Zeynep Doğuşlu, Tuğba Sunguroğlu, Elit İşcan, Ilayda Akdoğan, Nihal Koldaş, Ayberk Pekcan
2015 / France-Turkey-Germany / 97 min. Distributed by Bitters End
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