MovieChat Forums > Afsaid (2006) Discussion > Can someone recommend good Iranian films...

Can someone recommend good Iranian films?


Hello all! I really like this movie. Between this and "Persepolis", I have become fascinated with Iran and especially with Iranian women. Odd for an American!? Anyway, can someone recommend some other good, Iranian films? I bought "It's Winter" but haven't brought myself to watch it yet, because I hear it's very bleak, so I have to be in the right mood first.

Any suggestions?

"Dude, it's Lord Goblin King, not Lord Go Blinking!"

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[deleted]

I think that's '10' by Abbas Kiarostami. I haven't seen that film, but I've seen the documentary he made about filmmaking that features excerpts from it: 'Ten on 10'. A Taste of Cherry, also by Kiarostami, is very good. Both films are effectively 90 minute conversations from inside a car, and they're very ponderous. So bear that in mind.

I know you are, you said you are, but what am I?

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lordgoblinking there are very good films from iran. I have seen quite a few films of director Majid Majidi. You can enjoy his "Children of Heaven", "Colors of Paradise", "Baran", "Song of Sparrows" etc. I have seen some beautiful movies in International Film Festival of India just a month back. Along with Persepolis there were "3 Women", "Mainline", The Fish Fall in Love", "The Cow" etc...

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"Baran" and " Two women"

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Great! Thanks! Now all I have to do is find those DVD's at my local store.....

"Dude, it's Lord Goblin King, not Lord Go Blinking!"

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I started getting fascinated with Iranian movies 3 months ago when I saw the "Children of Heaven" (Bacheha-Ye Aseman 1979 film by Majid Majidi). It was one of those simple (neorealist) but powerful movie that could change your outlook on simple living.

So I decided to search for more Majid Majidi movies and other great movies from great directors in Iran, and here's what I've seen and would definitely recommend watching:

1. Children of Heaven (Bacheha-Ye Aseman 1979) - Majid Majidi, the best movie I've ever seen.

2. Color of Paradise (Rang-e Khoda 1999)- Majid Majidi

3. Baran - Majid Majidi

4. The Koker Trilogy (3 movies which are connected together by the same place. Interesting as it is layers of movies intertwined, it's like uv watched the movie within a movie within a movie. Check it out and find out what I mean, but start with the first one: "Where's the Friend's Home", then "Life and Nothing More", and lastly "Through the Olive Trees". All from the legendary director - Abbas Kiarostami

5. Taste of Cherry (Tam-e Guilass) - Abbas Kiarostami, most scenes are from moving vehicle, it's Kiarostami's signature style.

6. Close-up (Nemaye Nazdik) - Abbas Kiarostami, very simple but moving.

7. The Wind will Carry us - A.Kiarostami

8. The Cyclist - Mohsen makhmalbaf

9. A few kilos of dates for a funeral (Chand kilo korma baraye marassem-e tadfin 2006) - Salman Salur - this is B&W movie, so don't be surprised.

10. Crimson Gold (Talaye sorkh) - Jafar Panahi/ A. Kiarostami

11. Khomreh (The Jar) - Ebrahim Forouzesh, i take it as a metaphor for government and society.

12. Fireworks Wednesday (Chaharshanbe-soori) - Asghar Farhadi, unique story

13. Marmoulak - Kamal Tabrizi --- this one is a really must-see, hilarious!

14. Marriage Iranian Style (Ezdevaj be sabke irani) - Hassan Fathi, this one is a bit of a cliche but ok to watch for the customs & traditions stuff in the movie. The american actor here is like a tourist they've just talked out to act in the movie, but the lady in the movie is pretty, and the rest are good actors.

15. The Wind Carpet (Kaze no jutan) - Kamal Tabrizi, Iran-Japan friendship movie of sort.

16. Santoori - Darius Mehrjui, music were really good, and one of those anti-drug campaign movie, worth watching.

17. Offside - Jafar Panahi --- just got it so I'll be watching it later.

Enjoy those Iranian movies, I truly did...just a caution ---it's addicting. Cheers!

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lolz at ur signature

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the bubble and osama

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The Day I Became A Woman is also a good one to watch.

We musn't dwell...no not today. We CAN'T! Not on Rex Manning Day!!

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osama is not irani, thatz afgan movie.

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Definitely "Santouri".

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I saw Kiarostami's "The Wind Will Carry Us," and thought it was marvelous. Very subtle, nuanced and unusual.

First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. Gandhi.

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Most of the major players have been mentioned, and I second virtually every film nominated so far, particularly Mehrjui's 'Gaav' [The Cow], Makhmalbaf's 'The Cyclist'; Kiarostami's 'Close-Up' and so-called Koker trilogy; and Majidi's 'Bacheha-Ye Aseman' [Children of Heaven].

I'd also count Makhmalbaf's 'Dastforoush' [The Peddler] and Kiarostami's 'Khane-ye doust kodjast?' [Where Is the Friend's Home?] amongst their greatest films.

Jafar Panahi's first three features also definitely deserve a mention here somewhere. I personally rate at least two of them amongst my favourites:

- Badkonake sefid [The White Balloon] (1995)
- Ayneh [The Mirror] (1997)
- Dayereh [The Circle] (2000)

Bahman Ghobadi is a younger director whose films are also worth a look, these probably being some of the the most widely distributed Iranian films of recent years:

- Zamani barayƩ masti asbha [A Time for Drunken Horses](2000)
- Lakposhtha parvaz mikonand [Turtles Can Fly] (2005)

There were also some other pretty great films from the '80s, such as:

- Bashu, gharibeye koochak [Bashu, the Little Stranger] (Beizai, 1989)
- Davandeh [Runner] (Naderi, 1985)
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I suppose on a clear day you can see the class struggle from here.

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Has anyone mentioned Samira Makmalbaf yet? She's amazing Iranian director who won the palm d'or at age on 20!
check out her films, The Apple, Blackboards and At 5 In The Afternoon.
Her sister also made Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame which is very good too

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Agreed re: Samira Makmalbaf! I keep on meaning to watch "Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame" - I have a copy sitting right here.
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I suppose on a clear day you can see the class struggle from here.

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She Didn't won Palme D'or, she won Special Jury Prize twice.. for "Blackboards" and "at Five in the Afternoon"

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1-10(kiarostami)
2-The Circle(Panahi)
3-Crimson Gold(panahi)
4-Hamoon(Mehrjooyi)
5-Crash(Davoodi)
6-Bashoo Gharibeye Koochak(Beizayi)

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Bahman Ghobadi's No One Knows About Persian Cats is very good.

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