niutta-enrico A very nice film, with many good qualities. First of all the cast: the pretty (and talented) Golshifteh Farahani and the less known but equally intriguing Korkmaz Arslan, together with several convincing actors in supporting roles. Interestingly, neither Farahani nor Aslan are Kurds (she is Iranian and he is Turkish…).Then we have the undisputed talent of Mr Hiner Saleem (who really is Kurd), whose filmography already has gained him a well deserved fan base.Finally, you'll see Kurdistan. The ugly, cold Kurdistan with its stony hills and gaunt landscapes. Poor, superstitious and dangerously undeveloped, with its violent attitude and undersized rides. And you won't be able to help but like it.

leplatypus When i checked up Goldsifeth movies, i left this one because following her in a backwater isn't my definition of enjoyable! Well, i suppose i could talk about a devastated country, oppressed minority, patriarchal society, honor and stupidity but right now, i'm just fed up with those subjects and I'm not ONU... I just like the way Goldsifteh express herself, from resistance to resignation, from dream to hope... Unlike so many big names actresses, she is more interested in showing her soul than her skin and that's the essential...

Sandcooler "My Sweet Pepper Land" follows the formula of the classic western, with a rugged good guy trying to protect a damsel in distress from the inevitable evil rich guy. There's obviously nothing wrong with that, if that plot's good enough for Sergio Leone it's good enough for anyone. On the other hand though, this is hardly a creative film. People seem to really dig the combination of western storytelling (in various meanings) with the unlikely setting of a mountain in Iraqi Kurdistan, the movie mostly thrives on that...gimmick, for lack of a better word. You get a lot of insight into Kurdic history, a subject I knew very little about, apart from that the movie isn't very special. The plot is predictable (granted, all westerns tend to be), there's not a lot of suspense even though they're really trying, and even the standard final showdown is really more of an anti-climax. "My Sweet Pepper Land" is an interesting watch, but not always a superbly entertaining one.

junocreate Great looking movie with many nods to the classic Westerns, including those of Sergio Leone, this movie dramatises the struggle by the new Kurdish regional government in Iraq to form the basics of government within its territories, especially the rule of law and educating the children, through the story of the policeman and the schoolteacher. This is all set in its wildest region, nicknamed the Bermuda Triangle, where the borders of Iraq, Iran and Turkey intersect. The music is a highlight, the cinematography too, and the landscape is stunning as well. I liked the story and the main characters, and so far it's one of my favourite films of the year, partly because it's so different but also because it is very well done.