Review: Iraqi Oscar Entry ‘No Paradise If You Are Killed by a Woman’ Salutes Kurdish Peshmerga

Selected as Iraq’s submission for the Best International Feature Oscar, “No Paradise If You Are Killed by a Woman” reimagines the lone action hero archetype through a resourceful female Peshmerga sniper. Norwegian-Kurdish filmmaker Halkawt Mustafa, known for “Red Heart” and “El Clásico,” delivers a visually striking drama that may struggle to satisfy both genre enthusiasts and arthouse critics in Western markets, though it has already secured distribution rights in MENA territories through Sony/Empire.

The story follows Vyan, portrayed by London-based Kurdish actor Avan Jamal, a 24-year-old Kurdish émigré visiting Iraqi Kurdistan with her family in 2014 when Islamic State forces launch an attack. After her parents are killed and she is sold into sexual slavery alongside her younger sister, Helin, Vyan escapes by killing her captor and reaching Peshmerga lines. She subsequently joins an elite unit of female fighters as a sniper.

As Vyan’s narration explains, the term Peshmerga translates to “before death,” reflecting a ethos of fighting from strength rather than fear. Over three years, she claims to have eliminated more than 100 enemy combatants, earning a million-dollar bounty from IS fighters who believe there is “no paradise” for those killed by women.

Following a heroic act where she prevents an IS suicide truck bombing at her unit’s base, a heavily wounded Vyan returns to Norway for medical recovery. A government official, played by Thorbjørn Harr, presents her with a stark choice: accept a new identity and protection or face prosecution for fighting on behalf of another nation. When a call to her family’s old landline reveals that Helin remains trapped in Mosul under the control of an IS fighter known as the Swedish sniper, Vyan prepares for a potentially final mission to rescue her sibling.

The film’s second half adopts a tense, stealth-oriented pace reminiscent of a video game, offering a detailed depiction of sniper operations and the patience they demand—surpassing the granularity found in Clint Eastwood’s “American Sniper.” Vyan relies on logic and assistance from a friendly Kurdish commander in Iraqi government forces to locate enemy snipers blocking civilian escape from the devastated city.

Mustafa, who previously worked as a war photographer and researched his 2015 TV project “The Women ISIS Fears,” dedicates this film to his daughters. True to his earlier features, the movie proudly integrates Kurdish customs, including the unique “singing” sound of Vyan’s rifle and traditional tunes performed by her comrades.

Technical highlights include atmospheric cinematography by Norwegian DP John Erling H. Fredriksen and the use of actual locations in Mosul, where the ruins attest to the brutal campaign to liberate the ancient city. The sound design by Mattias Eklund and Jan Kasskawo effectively builds tension during the film’s many silent sequences.