Reflections on the movie title and the use of symbols of Turtles can fly:
1)Movie title:
Since this is a movie portraying the Kurd people''s tragic life as refugees drifting between the boarder of Iran and Iraq, the “turtles” of the movie title could be an indication of the Kurds in the movie.
The movie includes many episodes portraying the hardship the Kurdish refugees experience as well as the toughness in their characteristics. From the mine-picking scene, the audience gets to learn how these refugees earn their living and how risky the job is. Does the Kurdish deserve such a tragic way of living, or they are innocent victims of numerous conflicts between countries? To me, the way the Kurdish refugees in this movie carry the unjust burdens is similar to the way turtles carry their shells, which is heavy while never possible to get rid of.
Therefore, to me, the movie title, Turtles can fly, shows high expectation for the Kurdish people all around the world to be able to stand up by themselves on day.

2)symbols:
In this movie, the craze for modernization and the worship of U.S.A. are conveyed with several symbols throughout the film. The first one is the satellites. At the beginning of the movie, there''s a scene where the refugee kids set up satellites for the villagers. This episode indicates the eagerness and longing for information from the outside world. It''s because only with satellites, the villagers can receive foreign channels of the Western countries, especially the States. The ownership of a TV set also symbolizes modernization and higher social status. Only those who are well-off can afford a TV home.
Under the influence of the western TV programs, the villagers tend to think U.S.A. as a strong, wealthy, and wonderful country with abundant resources and advanced technologies. In the movie, the leader of the refugee kids, Satellite, is a very good example of worshipping U.S.A. To Satellite, knowing how to speak English gives him a sense of superiority. Even though he only knows a little bit, he likes to use English a lot when talking to his friends. What''s more, Satellite''s bike also symbolizes the admiration of the States. From the scene when Satellite volunteers to help Agrilin with water and to give her a ride home, he says to her, “I never gave people free rides before. You are the first one,” the sense of proud of his bike is shown. The way Satellite decorates his bike also implies how much he treasures his vehicle. To him, this bike is not just a tool. Instead, emotionally, the bike allows Satellite to shorten the gap between the reality he''s living in and the dreamed America he longs for.
However, ironically, in the scene Satellite risks to rescue Riga out of the mind land, he accidentally triggers a mine, an explosion follows immediately while his bike gets ruined at the same time. The mine destroys not only the bike, but Satellite''s admiration of America. This leads to the last scene when a line of American soldiers pass by Satellite and his friend, Pashow, on the road, Pashow say to Satellite, “Hey, they''re Americans! Don''t you want to see they,” while Satellite simply turned away his head.

[發表人：Echo Chen(陳虹汝)]

 

RE：I agree with what Echo discusses about the title of the movie. Although they are suffered by wars and separated with their family, the Kurd people still have expectation on their own community. Because they have departed with their family, they value the importance of family and unitedness. They have got hurt by the war either physically or spiritually and the scars become the eternal burden and sorrow, just like a turtle carrying its shell. However, they expect to get rid of the past and move forward. In the movie, they are looking forward to hearing the ending of the war from the TV. They, in fact, expect a better future that the Kurdish people could have freedom to pursue their happiness. Therefore, the title “Turtle Can Fly” implies that one day the Kurdish people can forget their sorrow as their heavy burden and rule their own lives.

[回應人：黃詠欣]

RE：I totally agree with what Echo says. Besides the symbol of the satellite, the bike and the fading away of Satellite's admiration to the Americans, in my opinion, the lake in this movie also has its symbol. The lake actually represents the turbid future of the Kurdish people. For Agrin, the lake buries her unbearable memory and she chooses here as her burial ground; for Satellite, there were three kids drowned in the lake. No matter which story behind this lake, we know that the lake takes on a miserable, depressed and unclear image in “Turtles can Fly”. What is more, I think Riga symbolizes Kurdish people's contradictory emotion to their identity. For example, even though Agrin wants to abandon Agrin so badly, she could hardly leave Riga in the middle of nowhere. After Agrin leaves Riga, Satellite rescues him and Riga is sent back to her. Just like the Kurdish people can never get rid of their identity and their predicament until they die.

[回應人：蘇彥羽]

RE：I love Echo's interpretation of the meaning of the title. At the beginning, I had no idea what's the relation of Turtle and the movie. However, Echo's explanation gives me a clear idea that turtle's heavy burden identifies the Kurds' mysterious situation. For example, the little girl Agrin carries her own little child Riga. So heavy the trauma is that forces her to commit suicide. This means Kurds live with trauma as a result of war. Hengov, the elder brother, also have his own difficulties dealing with himself being handicapped. Besides, I think the talent to foresee the future is not a good thing for a little boy because he is always the one who experiences the whole terrible processes in his dream. This kind of torture might indicate Kurds' suffering that normal people might not have experienced. Additionally, the burden he is having on his shoulder is taking care of his sister and nephew. Satellite who is the organizer of the children camp indicates the difficulties of having a leader among Kurds. Although at the beginning he does take care of the children quite well, he loses his focus due to the appearance of Agrin and his American admire, which unable him to move on positively as he used to be.
All in all, the shell on the turtle's back is so heavy that causes the Kurds' life is harder than the others. That's why the title name “turtle can fly,” in hope of one day the Kurds might free themselves from the suffering caused by war and migration.

[回應人：Elle Liao (廖彥甄)]

Reflection of Turtles Can Fly

1. What is the meaning of the film title?
In this film, I think the turtles'' image have shown up twice. The first time is when Agrin''s brother, Hengov, makes a prediction of that the war between Iraq and America will break out. Hengov tells Satellite and Satellite spreads the prediction to everybody so that people can run away to a safer place. However, Hengov and her sister and her sister''s son do not leave where they are. They just stay in the same place. At that time, Satellite comes to find them and the little boy, Riga, just sit on the ground and put his turtles in the little puddle. The second time is when Hengov has a bad dream and he tries to trace after her sister and her son. He goes to the pond and cries because he knows that her sister''s child was dead. He jumps into the water to make sure whether he is really in there. However, with the scene of the swimming turtles, he sees the unbearable truth. In my opinion, turtles should be on the land or in the water. There is impossible for turtles to fly. Just like the other novel “Pigs Can''t Fly, ” they are both impossible and limited. I think maybe the title is about breaking the fact and getting rid of the current situation. In this film, Agrin is the one who always tries to leave the place and start a new life without her son. I think that maybe the flying image also relates to the way she ends her self''s life.

2. Comment on the filmic techniques: its use of camera and symbols.
I think the filmic techniques in this movie are quite interesting. It first begins with the scene of Agrin, who is standing on the cliff and trying to jump off. As for me, although the film just begins, and I don''t even know who the girl is and what is going on, it really shocks me and leaves the strong impression in my mind. Therefore, when I watched the following film, I would keep the intention to figure out why the girl needs to end her life like that. It is really a straight forward way to arouse people''s curiosity and sympathy. Moreover, the scene of the girl''s memories would also shows in the middle of the film. That would be a good way to inform people what had happened before and help people to link the incident to the reaction or intention now. As for me, I think this kind of filmic technique is really successful. It not only draws people''s attention but leave the strong images and effects in people''s mind. I think this is one of the reasons that consists of the attractive film.

3. How are the children related to one another in this film? (The characters'' names for your reference--Satellite, Agrin, her brother Hengov, her son Riga.)
One of the main characters, Satellite, is kind of the one who knows more about America and English than other poor refuges at the village. He also has the ability to lead those children to find some jobs and make a living. He is attracted by Agrin, who has a child names Riga. Satellite always offers his best help and tries to take care of them. At the scene that Satellite is trying to jump into the pond and show Agrin the red fish, he tells her that she is the one that he has been looking for, for a long time. I feel very touching for a boy would say something like this. And I think that his love to Argin is real because he even sacrifices himself to save her son. About Agrin''s brother, Hengov, he is a boy who lost his arms in the bloody war. In the beginning, he and Satellite doesn''t get along with well and Hengov even called him liar and hit his nose. However, I think what he have done is only trying to protect his sister and the child. Even though he is armless, he still tries his best to defend them. And about the little kid, Riga, he was called bastard by his mother, Agrin. From Agrin''s terrible memory, it shows that she was raped in the war by the American soldiers. Therefore, the existence of Riga is just like a reminder to remind her of her misfortune and the unbearable memories. From

[發表人：陸晏婷]

 

RE：If asking me to compare the novel “Pigs Can't Fly” with the film “Turtles Can Fly,” I would not consider both of them to be only suggesting the meanings of “breaking the fact and getting rid of the current situation.” For “Turtles Can Fly,” it indicates a more optimistic thought for different characters in this film have their own ways of flying (even if it doesn't necessarily mean they would fly successfully). While Satellite acts as the leader of those homeless Kurdish children and utilizes his language ability to survive, other Kurdish children make their living by collecting mines and sell them. In addition, Hengov, having the ability to foresee the future, not only tries his best not to be spilt apart with Arin and Riga, he also works so hard to live (though he doesn't have arms) and never gives up every hope. For instance, despite the fact that he has already foreseen that Riga would be drown and Agrin would die, he still jumps into the pond to see whether Riga is alive or not and runs up to the hill to find Agrin. Even though Agrin chooses to end her life at the end of the film, it doesn't necessarily present negative and sad thoughts since ending her life might be the true freedom for her – freeing herself from the long-lasting miserable life.
Apart from that, the title of the film also suggests the hope of Kurdish people. Even though having no choice but to live in the area between Iraq and Iran and leading a painful life, these Kurdish people find their own ways to live on their own. Holding even a glimmer of hope from America, at least they dare to dream and have the courage to carry hopes in their minds, which supporting them to keep on living.
On the other hand, the title of the novel “Pigs Can't Fly” directly points out that “pigs,” as I interpret them as Arjie's father and other relatives, can't fly beyond the norms they consider correct. Or, we can also refer “pigs” to Argie and people who are like Arjie, and further interpret that it is impossible for people like Arjie to be freed from conventions and tradition (at least for what we have read so far because the story might end surprisingly different and positive).

[回應人：白硯齊]

Reflection of Turtles Can Fly

“Turtles Can Fly” talks about the story of the Kurdish refugees who are encamped on the border between Iran and Turkey, Kurdistan before the US invasion of Iraq. Through the children''s eyes, we see how the children suffered from the war both physically and mentally. Thirteen years old Satellite serves as a leader of the children, who are orphaned, poor, and many of them were even maimed by mines due to their dangerous work—looking for unexploded mines for selling them to the U.N. personnel to make a living.

(1)The meaning of the title
In the movie, we seldom see “turtles”. Why the movie called “Turtles Can Fly”? Turtle is a metaphor in the movie. On one hand, Kurdish people like turtles carrying the heavy shells (their history) to move on. Turtles live on land and in water simultaneously; those children behave like adults and teenagers at the same time because of the war. For example, in the market Satellite purchases rifles (like an adult) and buys a necklace (like a teenage) for Agrin at the same time. On the other hand, turtles, as Riga''s pet, swimming from the bottom of the pond toward the surface of the water in the movie, this scene is just like the turtles flying toward the sky. This image of turtles can fly might show the director''s positive viewpoints and expectations to the future.

(2)The use of metaphors and symbols
Besides turtle as a metaphor, the boy''s nickname “Satellite” is also a metaphor, which indicates his ability of installing satellite dishes. The worship and admiration of the U.S.A throughout the first half of the movie, especially through the character, Satellite. The elaborately decorated bike is a symbol of Satellite''s admiration of the U.S.A. Though he only knows a little English, Satellite speaks English quite often in front of other people. Till one day his leg is injured by the landmine, along with his bicycle as he goes to rescue Riga from the minefield. From then on, not only his bicycle is destroyed, his admiration for the U.S.A. is destroyed as well. In the end of the movie, when his friend asks him, “Don''t you want to see they (American soldiers)? Satellite simply turns away and speaks nothing, which is quite contracting to his previous behaviors when he talked about America. Moreover, the necklace and the red fish symbolize Satellite''s love for Agrin, which the former destroyed in the mine explosion, and the latter is which he can not find in the pond that indicate his love for Agrin is unreturned.

[發表人：王映潔]

 

RE：I agree with the allegorical interpretations she's made. In fact, the director Bahman Ghobadi mentioned himself that turtles do symbolize the Kurdish people directly. Living both on land and water, carrying a heavy burden and moving slowly and making little progress. I want to share another viewpoint on the definition of the movie title.

In a scene, the protagonist Henkov dived into the water in one of the scenes and with his limbless arms, swimming slowly in the water, it really literally looked like a turtle frolicking in the water. Another literal interpretation will be Agrin carrying her bastard child, also looking like a turtle with a shell on. Finally, that turtle took off its shell and flew: Agrin killed her own child and flew off a cliff.

[回應人：都省瑞]

Reflection of Turtle Can Fly
This film set in Kurdish refugee camp on the Irqi-Turkish border and it mainly talks about some events happened on a group of children. The main characters are Satellite, Agrin and her brother, Hengov. Satellite is the leader of the children and also the people in that communty depend on him to receive the war''s news because he knows a bit of English and can translate the news. Of of the main character, Agrin, she seems very sad all the time ; however, Satellite is attracted by her so much. Hengov is Agrin''s brother and Riga is Agrin''s daughter.
Satellite is very important to the children because he''s the leader of them. He gives order to the children and takes care of them. At the beginning of the film, I don''t like him at all because I think that he''s not capable enough to be the leader. But later on, I began to like this character. I found that he''s a very kind-hearted and he takes good care of the other children so the children also like and respect him. He''ll stand out to fight for the children''s benefit. One scene touch my heart is that when Agrin''s son Riga was in danger, Satellite saved him. In order to save him, he even hurt his leg.Moreover, I think he''s a generous person. When he hears that Hengov predicts something bad would happen, he would listen to his words and prevent bad event occur though he has some discord with Hengov before. The other character I like is Shirkooh because he''s very cute. He always cried but actually he''s the most faithful one to Satellite. When Satellite saved Riga, he''s in danger,too and most children just stood around but only Shirkooh said that let him do such a danger task for him.
Another character I want to talk about is Agrin. When Agrin appeared with her son, Riga, I thought that Riga was her brother; however, I found that it wasn''t that simple. Later on, I was very shocked to find that Riga is her son and it''s because Agrin was raped a few years ago. What Agrin experience is such a tragedy and it''s not what a normal person can imagine. She lost the most important thing of a girl in such a young age. I am totally understand why she will chose to commit suicide at last. She also kills her son and I think it''s because she doesn''t want the tragedy continue since Riga represents Agrin''s tragedy in the past. I don''t quite understand why Hengov can predict that his sister would commit suicide but don''t prevent it. But when I saw that he was cried and went to find Agrin, I understood that fate is fate and you just can''t prevent it. Although Hengov can predict the future but it doesn''t mean that he can prevent what happened in the future.
To conclude, I felt sorry for the Kurdish refugee especially those children. They might lose their arms or legs any time since there was war and mines everywhere. Compared to them, I am a very lucky child and born in such a peaceful place. Although they are orphans, they are very independent and can handle many things by themselves and I was very ashamed that even until now, I had many things depend on my parents. This movie really inspired me a lot and I really felt so sad about the tragedy happened on Agrin. If I were Agrin, I would rather hope that I have never come to the earth.

[發表人：吳珈欣]

 

1. Meaning of the film title.
To me, the title “Turtles Can Fly” may refer to the hope of freedom the Kurdish hold, the irony of the difficulties of getting freedom, and the allusion for Agrin and Riga.
The first one is the hope of freedom the Kurdish hold. Bearing the heavy shell, the Kurdish are just like the turtles which don''t have stable residence and thus lose the sense of belonging. Limited in the small areas that full of pain and sorrow, they are vulnerable and passive to receive everything comes from the outside world. Or, maybe we can say that the heavy burden has already been too much for them to think everything else except struggling for life. The word “fly” might be a hope for the audience, especially the western power, hoping that they can take a closer, and more sympathetic look to their status quo and help them complete their dreams that they can one day be free.
The second one is the irony of the difficulties of getting freedom. When seeing the title, most of us might immediate produce the scene where turtles are flying in the sky. It might sound ridiculous for us, thinking that it''s impossible for such thing to happen. So does the freedom and acknowledgement of the Kurdish. Because of the historical hatred as well as the political influences, it''s extremely hard, or even impossible for the Kurdish to be set free. So, except for the political desire (the Kurdish wish to be acknowledged as a nation so that they might have a sense of belonging,) the director used the word “fly” to throw a sharp question to the public and raised a concern that whether the death is the only way to make the Kurdish “fly” to the ideal world. However, in my opinion, turtles can be seen as an animal symbolizing perseverance and endurance, so the director might want to use this kind of image to encourage all the Kurdish, or perhaps even some other poor and exploited countries to insist holding believes that one day, they shall all be free.
The last one is the allusion of Agrin and Riga. Agrin and Riga is just like the turtles that are bearing the heavy shell. For Agrin, Riga might be a burden who keeps reminding her the tragedy she had been through. However, even though she drown him at last, it''s undeniable that he was still once part of her. So, for me, Riga is much more than just the allusion of the shell or a burden but a symbol of the past we used to carry. In other words, we can''t “fly” because we throw away our past, for it would end up nothing, just like Agrin who died but had nothing left but the sorrow of her brother. Instead, we should keep carrying it on, to get over the pain and past for one day, past might leave(just like Riga might one day no longer needs to be carried on,) and the bright future might come.

2. Filmic techniques: use of camera and symbols
During the entire movie, it doesn''t have so many differences in shooting. In other words, from the beginning through the end, even in the scene which Agrin committed suicide and Riga got drowned, the color and storyline is so plain that as if tragedy is commonly see. And it is because of such concept, it creates an atmosphere which is full of sorrow. In addition, I notice that throughout the movie, the director seems to be fond of using long-distance and longer shot, portraying people going farther and farther. I think such filmic techniques might suggest the long journey for the Kurdish and also creates a sense of distance, symbolizing that their life is much more difficult and tragic than we can imagine.
There are many symbols in the film but among them, the symbols that touched me the most is the red fish and the pound. The red fish might suggest the hope for the Kurdish, or for the children, and it''s extremely ironic that they found out that such hope is fake at last. Fish, in my own interpretation, might also suggest the freedom. Consequently, the fake fish might suggest the fake freedom, or even the fake redemption proposed by United States.

[發表人：Tina Chi(祁琬婷)]

 

After watching the movie “Turtles Can Fly”, it seems like a story that I have heard from people in last generation at my hometown Kinmen. “Turtles Can Fly” describes how Kurdish children to survive in such chaos and prepare for the U.S. invasion. To me, this is what my grandma and parents had gone through. When the 823 battle happened, my parents were just born and my grandma just like Agrin should take care of children. In comparison, “Turtles Can Fly” conveys the audience Kurdish life before the war, my grandma and my parents lived in the battle. My grandma told me when bombs came; you should go to shelters immediately no matter what you were doing then. The scene is similar to when Satellite knows the U.S. come and he uses the microphone to ask people to go to hills. So, when Satellite orders people to do like this, I am wondering why he doesn''t call people to shelters? Sometimes I will mix the story about the 823 battle into the movie and make myself feel confused. For making money, Kurdish children go to relieve mines with no official training which can threaten their life and even be killed especially Hengov uses his mouth to replace his hands that holds my breath. By this plot, I''m thinking whether it is the necessary process or not because some people did like this before during the 823 battle. There are still some mines in Kinmen, but it too dangerous to relieve them somehow empty bombs can replace mines to earn some money. My grandma and my parents did not go to pick empty bombs; however, some others would try it. In result, some fortune people happened nothing and go to sell empty bombs but some others with bad lucky lost their arms or legs and even the life. Maybe it that situation, people have no choice in order to earn some money of raising family or not to starve. In “Turtles can Fly”, chief just always sit there and sometime care about what is happened now. It seems like the war will never happened them or they have way to be survival so that they don''t look worry so much. At first I feel angry when chiefs act like this, now I suddenly realize that they are just chiefs who have no power to force government to protect their people. Somehow it might reflect when people face to the war that they have no ways to stop it but just take it as part of life. When I watch this movie, there are so many stories I''ve heard bump into my mind and match scenes in the movie. Then, I will think that it was what my grandma and my parents went through before and how could they survive in that situation? Or why they did not choose to move to somewhere else? In the end of the “Turtles Can Fly”, Agrin decides to end her life, other children follow the U.S army, Hengov goes to the opposite way and Satellite stands there. To me, my grandma and my parents just like Satellite who finally still stays in same place because there is home in Kinmen.

[發表人：許庭瑜]

 

RE：War can cause damage to a country, to people or even a family. Wars have appear in many places no matter in history or in nowadays. We, are luckly because we live in a safe country which hasn't have war for several years. We can not imagine how life can be in war times. However, through these kind of movie we can understand the pressure and pain that can not be spoken by people.
This movie present the children's aspect in war. They also suffer from the pain of losing family and the threathen of bombs. But the most unbearable part is little children have to take care of smaller children. Children ought to have a safe and happy life, not worring and terrified all the time.
My grandparents live in the time of Japanese government ruling in Taiwan. They happens to recall their memories about the war time. It is similiar to your grandparent. The war time has become part of their memory and part of the country's history.

[回應人：林怡欣]

Reflection to “Turtle Can Fly”
In fact, I''ve watched this film when I was in senior high school; even though, it''s still vivid in my mind that the barbarity and cruelty of war and how it severely influenced the life of the Kurdish people, especially the children. They have to take the risk to dig mine and sell it for living. For me, it is so hard to believe that there are such children in the world do lead their lives under this horrible condition.
1. What is the meaning of the film title?
In my opinion, I think that the turtle referred to the Kurdish children and they are carrying their heavy destiny on their back, namely, the turtle shell. The pain and suffering brought by the war had changed their life eternally and they could do nothing to modify the situation. All they can do is keep moving slowly like the tortoises and expect for the “change” that can promise them a better life. In the end, the American army had arrived at the refugee camp but the Kurds were not sure if the American could really end their pain and heal their trauma.
2.Comment on the filmic techniques: its use of camera and symbols.
The color of the film is plain and very common, most of them are grey. The plain color is helpful for the director to build up the atmosphere of a sorrowful story. The director puts several important images in the film such as the satellite, the antenna, the red fish and the pond; among them, the red fish and the pond impressed me the most. I considered the red fish as the hope for Agrin and the Kurdish children; however, it''s ironic that that the red fish turned out to be a fake one in the end. In other words, their hope is shattered and the dream to get rid of their miserable life is broken. In addition, the fake red fish may also suggest that the redemption from the American army is not going to happen. The pond is where the red fish lived; that is, it''s a pond of hope and maybe freedom. However, the pond turned out to be the tomb for Riga in the end or the film. Therefore, the pond became the chains to restrict the Kurdish children, who are presented as the image of turtles.
3. How are the children related to one another in this film?
Before Hengov''s arrival, Satellite was the head of the orphans because he knew more about English and other knowledge; however, he then felt stressed after Hengov got here. He did not like Hengov but he was fond of Agwin and always tried to please her.
The relationship between Agwin, Hengov and Riga are more like a family instead of siblings. Even though Hengov is handicapped, he was still able to protect his family. Agwin did not appreciate Riga for the reason that looking at him would make her think of the horrible experiences she had in her villages: being raped and gave birth to Riga. She was always try to get rid of Riga; on the other hand, Hengov cared about Riga. Ironically, Riga was looking for his parents all the time and he did not know that his bioparent is just beside him. To sum up, the relationship between the children is close but the war and cruel reality make them compartmentalize themselves from each other.

[發表人：黃振瑋(Tony Huang)]