Iranian films
 

Apparently, Iranian films are quite popular with the indie/critic crowd. From the ones that I have seen my favorites are:

The Color of Paradise,
Children of Heaven,
A Separation
A Taste of Cherry


The majority of their films are "minimalist" and to the plot driven watcher, they would likely hate the movie. Some take it too far nonetheless such as "The Song of Sparrows" which shows an urban landscape and a rural village. I often wonder how the population of Iran views these films, as they must be boring.

My favorite must be a taste of Cherry which is very simple but has some very touching moments.

Re: Iranian films
 

My top 5 Iranian films:
1. The Willow Tree (2005)
2. Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame (2007)
3. The House is Black (1963)
4. The Song of Sparrows (2008)
5. A Separation (2011)

Along with South Korea and Russia my favourite contemporary filmmaking country.

I've never even heard of The House is Black or Buddha Collapsed out of Shame.. what are your lasting impressions?

Re: Iranian films
 

I'm not really a fan of Iranian cinema but there are a couple of stand outs, namely A Separation, which tells such a strong story I couldn't help but get dragged in...and I felt like my heart would break at some points. It's not everyday I get to say that about a film.

The second Iranian movie I really enjoyed is from the 60s and actually found by accident...by misspelling the word Crow lol. I enjoyed it more than I expected it to and it's only through later research that I learnt the movie is actually considered a sort of changing of the guards in Iranian cinema and allowed the emergence of a new way of making films. So yeah, an influential movie which I found my accident. Oh and the movie is called The Cow.

One should note that maybe the Iranian films that show up among western critics favorites lists are the least accessible ones, the popular Iranian films are probably more conventional and thus more similar to Hollywood films.

Re: Iranian films
 

The only one I've seen is The House is Black which is a great but depressing short documentary. I want to see A Seperation, as it looks fairly good. Speaking of Iran remember in November how they were the ones that were gonna get the nukes. We always need something to be scared of since Hiroshima I guess

Re: Iranian films
 

I'd add The White Balloon.
http://www.filmkrant.nl/callback/res...te_balloon.jpg

Re: Iranian films
 

Probably my favorites are Crimson Gold and A Taste Of Cherry. Anyhow Guaporense is right, Iranian films that western audiences and critics tend to prefer are the most controversial,at least for the standards of the regime. It's not a coincidence that Panhai is under arrest and Kiarostami is in exile.

I'll add No One Knows About Persian Cats

http://imageshack.us/a/img16/311/imagezwet.jpg

It's neat seeing the Tehran underground music scene. Some musicians are really good; others, not so much, but it's still interesting to see.

Re: Iranian films
 

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6...562wo1_500.png

Life, and Nothing More... (1991)

Re: Iranian films
 

A Moment of Innocence

http://www.hammertonail.com/wp-conte...ence-alley.jpg

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117214/

Re: Iranian films
 

Has anyone seen "A bag of Rice" .. Kiseye Berendj?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116779/

Re: Iranian films
 

My fav iranian movies

Rom-Com:

Akharin Mojarad (The Last Bachelor) (2010)

Drama:

Baran (the Rain) (2001)
Strawberry Dessert (2012)
Tala va Mes (Gold and Copper) (2011)

All these are great. I definitely suggest them :)
And I think I have seen all the movies listed except for Persian Cats. lol.
@Blowe46 I saw it and I still have it in my archieve. It is simple and beautiful..

I really liked the Seperation. Such a simple story line and yet amazing.

Re: Iranian films
 

Has anyone seen "A Cube of Sugar"? :)

Re: Iranian films
 

I recently saw 'the Maritime Silk Road' and I definitely suggest it.

Buddha Collapsed out of Shame is a very good film. So moving. The little girl is a stark reminder of the ongoing fight for female education in Afghanistan.

Re: Iranian films
 

Yeah, the scenes with boys pestering girls are terrifying. Seems as they are adults and it's only an allegory to show them as kids.

Re: Iranian films
 

Along those lines to what Mr Minio and Christine are talking about, Abbas Kiarostami explores the relationship between men and women in an interesting way in Ten. What initially appears to be a childish tantrum from a little kid against his mother is slowly revealed to be more along the lines of male entitlement and power over women that comes from Iranian society. The film lets this revelation of sorts develop naturally over several conversations in a way that thoroughly details the issues at hand in a naturalistic and truly haunting way. It's Kiarostami's most socially conscious film.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-m...ap-6318099.png

Re: Iranian films
 

The Cow is considered to be a seminal film in Iranian cinema, and arguably the figurehead of the Iranian New Wave movement. It is a fairly bitter and haunting piece, and spawns some wonderful photography.