"Turtles Can Fly"

"Turtles Can Fly" (Persian: Lakposhtha ham parvaz mikonand) is a 2004 film written and directed by the Kurdish Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi, with notable theme music composed by Hossein Alizadeh. It was the first film to be made in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Plot

The film is set in a Kurdish refugee camp on the Iraqi-Turkish border on the eve of the US invasion of Iraq. Thirteen-year-old Satellite (Soran Ebrahim) is known for his installation of dishes and antennae for local villages who are looking for news of Saddam Hussein and for his limited knowledge of English. He is the dynamic, but manipulative leader of the children, organizing the dangerous but necessary sweeping and clearing of the minefields.

The industrious Satellite arranges trade-ins for unexploded mines. He falls for an orphan named Agrin (Avaz Latif), a sad-faced girl traveling with her disabled, but smart brother Henkov, who appears to have the gift of clairvoyance. The siblings care for a toddler, whose connection to the pair is discovered as harsh truths are revealed.

The film won the following awards:
Glass Bear, Best Feature Film and Peace Film Award, Berlin International Film Festival, 2005.
Golden Seashell, Best Film, San Sebastián International Film Festival, 2004.
Special Jury Award, Chicago International Film Festival, 2004.
International Jury and Audience Awards, São Paulo International Film Festival, 2004.