I've seen films in DOZENS of different languages...To the best of my recollection; MAROONED IN IRAQ is the first film I have ever seen in Kurdish! What an interesting window into Kurdish culture, recent history, music and traditions director Bahman Ghobadi has provided us!
"...If I leave town, what will happen to my 7 wives and 11 daughters?" says son Audeh to father Mirza. With those words it really doesn't take much for the viewer to figure out why Audeh keeps taking on more wives, does it?
MAROONED begins with a claim that The Kurds, numbering about 30 million and forming sizable ethnic minorities in several different countries, are the largest ethnic group in the world without a country of their own. However, I was unable to confirm this claim.
Please be patient with MAROONED. About 15 or 20 minutes in, I said to myself, "If this doesn't flag my interest soon, it isn't going to!" Soon after, I was mesmerized! This film evoked just about every human emotion imaginable. About 3/4 of the way through, I touched my cheek, and to my immense chagrin, I found I had teared up, but yet, I still can't put my finger on why! 10 minutes later a scene in MAROONED proved that on-screen hysterical grief can be contagious! Watching and learning about these Western Asian traditionally nomadic people fascinated me. How they maintain perspective and their sense of humor despite having been the object of genocidal efforts from Sadam Hussein is absolutely inspirational!
Director Ghobadi has a penchant for pulling the rug out from under the viewer's feet. One moment the father and two sons family are doing a Three Stooges out-take, and the next moment are mourning the death of a friend; Are performing some music in public that's reminiscent of the Bar scene from Star-Wars, and a moment later they're staring genocide in the face. Ghobadi manages these rapid-fire transitions magnificently...KUDOS!
8.25/10*
"...If I leave town, what will happen to my 7 wives and 11 daughters?" says son Audeh to father Mirza. With those words it really doesn't take much for the viewer to figure out why Audeh keeps taking on more wives, does it?
MAROONED begins with a claim that The Kurds, numbering about 30 million and forming sizable ethnic minorities in several different countries, are the largest ethnic group in the world without a country of their own. However, I was unable to confirm this claim.
Please be patient with MAROONED. About 15 or 20 minutes in, I said to myself, "If this doesn't flag my interest soon, it isn't going to!" Soon after, I was mesmerized! This film evoked just about every human emotion imaginable. About 3/4 of the way through, I touched my cheek, and to my immense chagrin, I found I had teared up, but yet, I still can't put my finger on why! 10 minutes later a scene in MAROONED proved that on-screen hysterical grief can be contagious! Watching and learning about these Western Asian traditionally nomadic people fascinated me. How they maintain perspective and their sense of humor despite having been the object of genocidal efforts from Sadam Hussein is absolutely inspirational!
Director Ghobadi has a penchant for pulling the rug out from under the viewer's feet. One moment the father and two sons family are doing a Three Stooges out-take, and the next moment are mourning the death of a friend; Are performing some music in public that's reminiscent of the Bar scene from Star-Wars, and a moment later they're staring genocide in the face. Ghobadi manages these rapid-fire transitions magnificently...KUDOS!
8.25/10*