Les Filles du soleil

The story of female Kurdish warriors fighting ISIS to save their hometown and families could've been one of the greatest movies ever. But this movie doesn't get to that level. It's good, but not great. The story of Kurdish determination gets muddled quite a bit by the focus on the French journalist and the frequent flashbacks. Sometimes flashbacks work, and at least in this movie it's obvious what's a flashback. I just wasn't as moved as much as I thought I'd be.

It'd been even better without the reporter. It felt a bit like she only was there to make the movie relevant to white people or something, because her story line didn't really add anything. Maybe it's because it never developed into anything interesting, or because her character just felt out of place (especially at the end). I don't know. Apart from this, it's a very beautiful, and also very painful movie to watch. The cinematography ranges from good to great, same goes for costume design and scenery.

This movie features (somewhat) graphic depictions of torture, sexual abuse, suicide and armed battle. Watch with caution.

"Our bodies and our blood will feed the land Our children's children Our milk will be red From Our death will spring life We have faith A new day is dawning It will be a new era of Women, Life, Liberty" August of 2014, Iraqi Kurdistan. The ISIL (ISIS) invaders invaded Mount Sinjar. This would follow with another genocide in Kurdistan after the horrific Anfal back in late 80s by Saddam's forces. As the Daesh forces carried out the genocide, some 5000 Yazidis were killed, around 500,000 fled and thousands of women and girls were captured and forced into sexual slavery. This is a story of some handful of the Yazidi women fighters who stood upright and fought the ISIS forces. Powerful story but storytelling is somewhat drab with some disconnect and hackneyed segments.. However, gritty locations (Georgia) and impressive production design and compelling and vehement performance by Farahani redress the movie and push it higher to a great watch category.

It is not an "exciting" film but so true, so heavy. There was no Rambo but every female fighter in the film (and on the battlefront) is a heroine. Men kill for power, for domination; women kill, when needed, to save, to regain their lost honor, to preserve their dignity. And shame on those who desert these brave people who have helped them to eradicate those who tortured and killed.

A real life lived. We want more films about the Kurds to be released.The sufferings of the past will never be forgotten. Freedom for the Kurds