_Turtles Can Fly_ is a haunting anti-war film set in a Kurdish refugee camp before the 2003 Iraq invasion. Shot with real refugee children, it captures displacement with raw authenticity. “Satellite,” a savvy teen, leads landmine-clearing kids with dry humour and grit. The performances, shaped by lived trauma, hit hard. The final moments are devastating but never exploitative. Not an easy watch—unforgettable and vital.

← Back to Home
Turtles Can Fly
2004 • 1h 38m • ★ 7.7 (236 votes) Released
Turtles Can Fly tells the story of a group of young children near the Turkey-Iraq border. They clean up mines and wait for the Saddam regime to fall.
Director
Bahman Ghobadi
Screenplay
Bahman Ghobadi
Rating
7.7
Runtime
98 min
Revenue
$1.1M
Production
Bac Films Mij Film Co.
Bahman Ghobadi Films
Top Billed Cast
Videos & Trailers
Gallery
Audience Reviews
G
griggs79
★ 9/10 • Jun 23, 2025
Keywords
suiciderapemuslimrefugeevillagelandminetankbicycleiraqdead childsoldierkurdistanchildren in wartime
