Iranian Films

[Gabriel_w/o_Wings]

Cinema of Iran is distinctive in its social and spiritual aesthetics.
For me, Iran produces some of the best films.
For those that have not been exposed or have limited exposure,
I have listed some excellent titles for you to indulge yourself in.
If you feel culturally deprived, Iranian cinema is great place to go.

The greatest Iranian director, and simply one of the best directors in the world is Majid Majidi. Every one of his films are a gem.
I first saw his film, The Color of Paradise a decade ago and I still have yet seen a foreign film that is better than this masterpiece. It's simply one of the greatest films ever made, it's as close to flawless as a film can get.

If you are new to Iranian films, I recommend watching The Color of Paradise first to get your feet wet.

The Color of Paradise is a brilliant tale of a blind boy on an epic scale in rural Iran. The acting is beyond belief and the cinematography in the second half of the film is amongst the best ever done.
The Color of Paradise Trailer

Offside is another great film to start off with. A look into the contemporary youth culture of Iran. This film is a lot of fun and is an urban culture shock to those who have never been exposed to the large youth population of Iran. This film makes Bend it Like Beckham look pedestrian in comparison.

Persepolis is a true story of an Iranian girls experience growing up during the Islamic Revolution of Iran and its aftermath as well as her exposure to Western culture. This film should have won the Oscar for best animated feature.

Baran is a wonderful early work of Majid Majidi that looks at poverty and love.

Children of Heaven is a critically treasured Majid Majidi film about poverty and harsh social realism.

The Willow Tree another gem from Majid Majidi. It is similar premise to The Color of Paradise.

Kandahar is the tale of a beautiful Afghan-Canadian woman who ventures into Taliban controlled Afghanistan in search of her depressed sister who wants to commit suicide. This film is like nothing you have ever seen before. Extremely powerful and moving.

Cafe Setareh is a low budget film about Iranian women that requires repeated viewings to appreciate. Not recommended for those who are not avid Iranian film seekers.

[NewfMom]

I am a foreign film fan. I have seen The Color of Paradise, Offside and Children of Heaven quite a while ago. I'd like to watch them again at some point. Thanks for listing the others, they look interesting, I will be sure to check them out. NewfMom.

[3eyes]

I've seen these:
Marooned in Iraq, about a group of Iranian Kurdish musicians who travel to Iraq during the war in search of a singer who they believe to be in danger

The Silence, about a blind man who works in a shop tuning musical instruments

Secret Ballot, a kind of a "road movie" in which the election officials bring the ballots to the voters -- fascinating look at the electoral process.

My son is a filmmaker who knows Farsi and has spent time in Iran -- he was even in a movie there, playing a clueless American who asks questions like "Why does it say 'Death to America' on your wheelchair?" Of course he's an aficionado of Iranian films. Some of his recommendations which are available on Netflix:

Under the Moonlight, Closeup, Blackboards, Iron Island, Crimson Gold, The Day I Became a Woman, . Turtles Can Fly, The Cow, The House is Black, Two Women.

Other films by Abbas Kiarostami not on netflix: The White Balloon, The Chorus, Fellow Citizen

Other films not on netflix he recommends
A Moment of Innocence (in Save section);
Once upon a time cinema (1992 - absurdist pastiche of Iranian films, "Iran's answer to Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid";
O.K. Mister (1979 --absurdist comedy in which three foreigners arrive in a village by hot air balloon, chaos ensues;
The Tenants (1986), cpmedy set in apartment building whose tenants are cross section of Iranian archetypes.

[elresh]

I've seen Children of Heaven, will have to check the others out!