A Time for Drunken Horses

In a remote border village in Iranian Kurdistan, orphaned siblings Ayoub, Madi, Hussein, and Shirin struggle to survive. They face extreme poverty and harsh weather conditions after their parents' death. To earn money for their younger brother's surgery, the elder siblings take on dangerous work, including smuggling goods across the treacherous Turkish border, facing smugglers and harsh elements.

A Time for Drunken Horses was critically acclaimed for its raw, neorealist portrayal of children's resilience in the face of extreme hardship. Critics lauded its authentic performances, stark cinematography, and unflinching depiction of poverty and the lengths people will go to for family, though some noted its bleakness.

• Praised for its authentic and powerful depiction of childhood survival.

• Commended for its neorealist style and compelling performances by non-professional actors.

• Recognized for its unflinching look at poverty and the human cost of smuggling.

Google audience: Audience reviews highlight the film's profound emotional impact, with many finding the children's struggle deeply moving and their performance incredibly genuine. Viewers were particularly impressed by the film's realism and its ability to convey a powerful story without sentimentality.

Winner of the Golden Leopard at the Locarno International Film Festival (2000), Winner of the Golden Camera at the Cannes Film Festival (2000), Winner of the Audience Award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival (2000).

The film features non-professional actors, with the lead roles played by the director's own cousins and their friends who were living in similar conditions.