Girls of the Sun (2018) Poster

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8/10
Kurdish Female Fighters in Rojava
gasfsd25 February 2019
In the past few years, there have been many good films about the Kurds in Rojava (East Kurdistan) and Bakur (North Kurdistan), I Want to Live (Karzan Kardozi) and Zer (Kazim Öz) and this Film is among the top three that I have seen so far. Hope to see more films in the future about Rojava and Bakur.
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8/10
Kurdish Fight for Democracy
westsideschl11 November 2019
In 2014 ISIS/ISIL forces killed, captured thousands of Yazidi & forcing hundreds of thousands to flee. Kurdish forces along w/an Obama ordered airstrike (contrary to another politician's abandonment of American ideals) fought to save their lives. This film is a fictionalized retelling based on interviews w/Kurdish female fighters (many who had escaped from ISIS). Another part of the film's story is an embedded journalist based on the real life of Marie Colvin (Film based on her life: "A Private War"). Criticisms: Could have used subtitling for English besides the other languages. The horror of ISIS killings & rapes were not shown on purpose (we see aftermath of one), but I think we need to see it more graphically to be moved to action. Mostly filmed in the country of Georgia - would have been more forceful if filmed in a post-ISIS area. Other films of Kurd female bravery: "Peshmerga", "Gulistan, Land ...", "Meryem" (short), "Commander Arian", "Her War: Women ...", "Fear Us Women" (short), "On Her Shoulders".
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8/10
Rise up against child rapists.
jamalking1531 January 2020
Good movie that left politics aside and displayed the horrors of war from the eyes of women ready to fight. Good filming, good music. Even having to read subtitles it was captivating throughout.
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7/10
Not as gripping as expected
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.
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9/10
Minefields of Memories and Explosives
Blue-Grotto22 September 2018
Over 7,000 women and girls were taken captive in one swoop by Daesh in the Sinjar Mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan in 2014. Over half of them are still missing. Some escaped from captivity and formed a unit of peshmerga fighters to strike back at those who separated them from their families, killed their loved ones, and starved, tortured, raped and beat them into submission. Girls of the Sun follows these women into battle, through Daesh tunnels, and into minefields of memories as well as explosives. The women are led by Bahar, a former lawyer, who is searching for her son. They are joined by a French war correspondent who has painful war nightmares of her own. The dark experiences and shared suffering of the women strengthens their bond as they face dangers that would make most people quail.

This gripping and emotional film is based on the truth. It deftly weaves between the past and present in realistic flashbacks. Camerawork revels in the mountains and mist as well as fights and close-ups. A true to life female perspective on fighting war from the standpoints of director, actors and characters. Fresh from an appearance at Cannes, I attended the international premiere of the film at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival. The director spoke of the challenges of making a film on a four million Euro budget and bringing people together with different cultural touchstones.
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7/10
Somewhat hackneyed storytelling style but powerful inspiring story, vehement performance by Farahani
samabc-3195228 March 2022
"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.
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9/10
It's a good movie, but...
salladsbesticket2 December 2018
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.
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10/10
Freedom to Kurdistan
celalcigdem-5619831 July 2019
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
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10/10
"The only thing they killed is our fear."
searchanddestroy-121 November 2018
You have here a true, authentic masterpiece in the line of TIMBUKTU or the Tv series BLACK CROWS, but told from another angle. The tale of a bunch of female fighters against ISIS brutality, barbary. Female warriors, amazons of a new kind, women who has nothing to lose, except letting ISIS monsters continue their evil work. That's really a poignant, gripping story about sacrifice, struggle and hate. But also the burning desire to exterminate the indescribable. This story could ahve been a great TV series, so that so many supporting characters may be better described. Coincidence or not, the final part of the film takes place on November Friday the 13th 2015; Black Friday for France, with the Paris and Bataclan killings.
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9/10
I wept all the way
hitomi6928 November 2019
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.
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10/10
Wonderful movie
bavustar20 December 2018
Very interesting and engaging.This is done by a female director . Some scenes are very nice that we are not able to imagine how they shot this.
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10/10
one of the most authentic films about Kurdish fighters
Hayduke5558 September 2023
The film draws inspiration from real events that transpired in early August 2014 when Islamic terrorists attacked and occupied the city of Sinjar in northern Iraq. The film's director and screenwriter, Eva Husson, reportedly had personal encounters in the region with fighters from Kurdish groups such as YPG, YPJ, YBS and Peshmerga, who are engaged in combat against terrorists. This lends an air of authenticity and somberness to the film, devoid of exaggerated effects or awkward posturing. The central narrative unfolds through the perspective of the Kurdish, specifically Yezidi, women's militia known as the Êzîdxan Women's Units (YJÊ), which played a significant role in the battle for Sinjar. I'm glad I saw this movie!
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10/10
HDP
celalcigdem-5619831 July 2019
A real life lived. We want more films about the Kurds
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10/10
Wake up
mickysayid29 August 2019
We must wake up and acknowledge the sacrifice the actors make to show us true events, teach us history they spent blood sweat and tears acquiring that we luxuriously enjoy by witnessing it served on a plate in the comfort of our homes. If this unpleasant wounding of these women has in some way enlightened the rest of us as to the grim finish beneath the glossy veneer of 'saving the world' and inspired you to change your ways, then their injuries carry with it an inherent nobility, and a supreme glory. We should all be so fortunate. You say poor women? I say, poor us.
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10/10
Freedom for Kurdish!
binyatsharif2 June 2020
The biggest nation without a country, it's time to make a country for Kurdish , just because they get persecuted by other nations there since thousand of years. A black man was killed in America, everyone manifest and that's a duty to manifest against racism but everyday Kurdish get killed but no one cares about. At the end bravo for this movie, we have to stand up against all who wants to make differences between us by color, nationality and religion
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10/10
Don't believe the low rating
Poster-Boy2 April 2022
Powerful story that is told with awesome actors and a sparse script. This is not your everyday action film. It plays like a documentary that pulls you into the characters and makes them real.

I can't believe it only rates in the 6/10. It deserves better!
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8/10
Her Biji Kurdistan : Long Live Kurdistan
Matin_Shwany1 April 2020
Girls Of The Sun officially this was my first kurdish movie unfortunately it's not made by our movie industry because they can't support a quality like that but as for french this is a good job, before i wondered if we will have a movie on (ISIS) after all what i saw and experienced through it, i don't know why other people are just not taking the chance with it to make more movies based on them because there are many stories to tell through the screen, i like this movie because it showed my culture in a perfect,clean and a neat way, from the first till the last i was surprised how accurately it was made focusing on all details that i have seen before, starting with the story after the past 10 years kurds have suffered under others the area has gone through many wars with others as of the most extreme was (ISIS) so this one gets us back to 2014 back when first (ISIS) appeared capturing (Sinjar) populated by (Yazidi) people, About 50,000 Yazidis fled into the (Sinjar Mountains) where they were trapped without food,water or medical care and faced starvation and dehydration, i still remember the news how they used helicopters to drop food for them, (Sinjar massacre) was one of the most brutal attack by (ISIS) from killing,torturing,...etc, more than 7000 women were raped,captured and sold by them, i remember that time how much fear (ISIS) built in everyone here everyone thought that we are gonna be next same like them, well there are many stories like that thats worth to be told through our screen and i am thankful this one was made, the only problem with this movie is that the execution is not at it's top i can't deny that there is lacking with the execution the fighting scenes to me were so good but it had tacky moments i noticed and you will notice too but i appreciated it, story is good but we mainly focus on one character there wasn't character development to others much so it's all fulfilled by one main role, it is Drama/War but it could hardly leave the viewer with sadness to be fulfilled with, most likely it gives inspiration to womens a feminism movie shows us the life of womens How much impact they had on the war? How much they had suffered during the war? How much patriotism they had for their nation?, kurdish Syrian women fighters have proofed that womens can fight too since we have one main enemy, i liked the flashbacks how they stacked it together, beautiful cinematography the director has done so much for this movie good job, beside my language is a (Sorani) dialect as a native kurdish but i understood the (Kurmanji) dialect as well it had (English) subtitle i still read them because of some words, (Golshifteh Farahani) the main character has done an amazing job taking the role investing her time on this movie every person in it has completely done a great job, i am glad that i watched it and watched my culture so thankful i would like to see more for future as of kurds have nothing less than other peoples, if you are looking to watch it because you can't find it everywhere on the internet so this is a link to it: (soap2day.to), (Jin Jiyan Azadi) as they say in english (Women Life Freedom), highly recommended if you are into different cultures like to discover hidden stories, 8/10⭐
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8/10
A story of women
frogcilfruit14 November 2020
Beyond the backdrop of the Kurds centuries-old fight for freedom and the even more dramatic recent history, which is gripping enough in itself, this is a film about (mostly) two women and their life struggle to exist, each in their individual way and circumstances. I think any woman would relate, but the performance delivered by Golshifteh Farahani is beyond outstanding and can't leave you unaffected.
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9/10
Outstanding
MikeyB179319 October 2020
This is truly an outstanding war film on what is occurring in other countries - amidst the chaos caused by the American led invasion of Iraq - and the subsequent rise of ISIS

The movie has an on the ground feel and it is very emotional - as we come to feel what these women have undergone and why they fight. I felt the reporter gave us a real reason why we should be informed of atrocious events in these countries.

And Finally a film of what women experience in war!
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8/10
Very gripping story
ghreza-9836828 April 2020
I have many friends from Kurdistan of Iran..and Golshifte is an actress from iran that plays his role very amazing an her dialect is so good. Hir Biji Kurd
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9/10
Middle East
zahrarfe31 May 2022
The pain and suffering that human beings, especially women, in the Middle East endure is expressed with great delicacy in this film. Thank you to the actors in the film, especially the beautiful Golshifteh.
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10/10
Fantastic film and an inspiration to all
consumergasperth3 November 2022
I couldn't stop watching this film and was in total awe of the women who had been so savagely treated by their captors and who stood up when many men wouldn't, they fought like true warriors not segregated by gender but segregated by their desire to fight and win against all odds , these women should serve as a warning to all who would try to enslave and take something which is not theirs to take , the actors involved were 100% believable and played their roles beautifully in what must of been a difficult situation to try to recreate with such a difficult story to tell , I take my hat off to these ladies and the fighters they portray, this film is definitely worth watching , the story is captivating and inspirational for a who.
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10/10
One of the most moving, powerful and inspiring films ever
thomasyork-7247224 October 2021
I simply cannot understand this film ever getting a bad review. It was expertly written, directed, and acted. And its subject matter told the truth about one of the worst human rights violations of modern times: when Daesh/ISIL invaded and murdered parts of Iraq and Syria, killing men and turning women and girls into sex slaves for profit.

Their truth is told through this powerful film about a group of Kurdish women turned freedom fighters who fight for the freedom of women and children against terrorists. The leader, Bahar, is a powerful and inspiring woman who has lost her entire family and village to Daesh. I was moved to tears numerous times through the film but also inspired by the triumph of the human spirit against unbelievable adversity.

This is one of the best war films and films about women ever made. Yet a film critic named Agnes Poirier wrote a bad review of it in the Guardian. Since nothing she said in the review is true I can only guess that her criticism was politically motivated in favour of Islamism, which has allies in France and England and among naïve Leftists. Perhaps the Guardian didn't want people to see the truth about Daesh?

I truly cannot understand that shameful review, which negates the truth of what those women have been through. Shame on that film critic. It's a slap in the face of women who were raped by Daesh, whose truth is told by Sisters of the Sun.

Shame on Agnes Poirier for that drivel. There's even a line in the film about how people in France don't want to know the truth -- which seems to apply to apologists for Islamism. And thank you to Eva Husson for making one of the greatest films ever made.
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10/10
10/10It's very important for all women
fatimashekhmosa15 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
It's very important for all women Kurdish women very strong
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9/10
I don't sleep
nogodnomasters9 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The film is based on a true story. The names have been changed as well as the locations.

Mathilde (Emmanuelle Bercot) is a French reporter with a Marie Colvin eye patch. She follows around Bahar (Golshifteh Farahani) the leader of a group of Kurdish women. The women were former captives of ISIS, abused and raped. They are now fighting ISIS wanting to get back their sons that ISIS is indoctrinating into their group.

It is a hard-hitting story of freedom fighting and sisterhood. Slow at times.

Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
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