Thumbs up for Mustang's depiction of Turkey
I read few comments from a turkish member here in message board and he/she kind of slammed the movie for it's not being truthful enough to the Black Sea society and culture, plus the reality in Turkey. I really don't know where to begin to tell how more truthful an abuse story could be told as in Mustang. And it felt as if the member was distraught with the fact that a story like this is being told about Turkey; therefore I assumed this person could be a nationalist and trying to bash such a brilliant film for no reason.
I'm also from Turkey and now I live in EU for a couple of years, actually I just went there for holidays when the news about a young high school girl sexually molested in Turkey by her maths teacher. As a result, she went to speak with her counselor at school who did nothing, eventually the girl ended up commiting suicide at home by her father's gun. Her name was Cansel Elçin.. And just sounded like Ece in Mustang, right? She didn't go speak to her parents, that's the thing. Not everyone can tell this abuse easily to their parents, so the criticism about why the girls kept silent who are also orphans makes a lot of sense.
I am also a bit critical about the dialect, yes it lacked it. But not sending girls to school and forcing them to marry is typical in Turkey, especially in small towns and villages. Unless someone who knows the situation speak to officials, nobody would do anything. The incestious relationships or physical abuse stories are also common in Turkey. I can't say if that's more common in that region or in another, but yes, you can't really say that these never happen in Black Sea region. Plus the bloody sheet is not also surprising, why not? They do not live in a big city and rumors would fly around.
I would say Mustang is very truthful to the reality in Turkey and that's why I loved it. The genuinity of the young actors are also incredibly touching to the point where the poignancy of the story literally tears your heart apart. Unfortunately women and mostly young girls still suffer and their voices need to be heard. I'm hoping this sisterhood's story would spread the word and get attention to our cause in Turkey.
Incognito