A number of excellent Iranian films have been released in the past year or so. The best of this very fine bunch is Offside by Jafar Panahi. It tells the story of a group of girls who in violation of the law try to get into Tehran stadium to see Iran’s soccer team compete in the World Cup. Next is Men at Work, a film by Mani Haqiqi. The subject of the film as it is described on the container is “The story of four ordinary guys and one big rock.” The political allegory contained in the film’s simple plot is striking, but does not overshadow the comedy and action of the plot. Director Tahmineh Milani is known for her didactic films about the status of women in Iran, such as The Hidden Half. In her latest film, Ceasefire, she decided to focus on the lighter side of the war between the sexes, and her message comes across all the more clearly in this light romantic and comedic guise.
The next film, called Twilight, is by Hasan Hedayat. It is a somber and wintry meditation on death and aging, starring the great Ezzatollah Entezami. This film is a small masterpiece. An odd but compelling film by Mohammad Rasoulaf is Iron Island. It chronicles the lives of the destitute inhabitants of a derelict freighter, and the sometimes tyrannical, sometime benign dictatorship of their leader, upon whom they depend for everything. Again, as in Men at Work, the political allegory is clear but not intrusive on the plot. Next is a work of popular cinema by Feridoun Jeyrani, called Garden Salad. It is not a great film, despite a fine acting job by Leila Khetami. But as an example of an Iranian attempt at film noir, it is worth seeing and adding to one’s collection.
David Giovacchini
Stanford University