32 Meters

Filled with humor and grit, this witty observational documentary unfolds in the remote Turkish village where Halime, like many women, works in the local rifle factory. Alongside her friend Gönül, the two set out to learn how to fire the weapons and join—for the first-time—the town’s annual sharp-shooting competition. But after women are forbidden to participate, the dynamic duo decide to start their own women-only event. Facing local government officials and overprotective husbands, who respond to the women with bemusement, skepticism, and rejection, Halime and Gönül won’t be underestimated.

Told with the same perceptiveness and humanity found in Abbas Kiarostami’s cinema (one of the director’s primary influences) and filled with intimate, candid moments of joy, frustration, and playful banter, this immersive, empowering story shows women actively resisting oppression. Halime and Gönül prove that social norms and gender roles can change with the times even within the most seemingly traditional communities.