Taxi (2015)

Directed by: Jafar Panahi
Country: Iran

Movie Review: One can wonder how is it possible that the Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who was sentenced by the authoritarian regime of his country to 20 years without making cinema, still manages to direct clandestine masterpieces with a disarming simplicity, emotional truthfulness, social-political awareness, and delightfully humorous situations. Well, my theory is the following: if you really love what you do and have something to say, there’s nothing that can stop you. After his professional banishment, Panahi has directed critically acclaimed films that mix reality and fiction, thoroughly mirroring what he was experiencing at each of those well-defined time slots of his existence. If “This is Not a Film” was a raw documentary that aimed to denounce the humiliating deprivations he was subjected to, “Close Curtain” introduced a lot more fictional elements to build up an imaginative plot. These two films were made when he was under house arrest. In his latest, “Taxi”, the most direct, enjoyable, and accessible documentary-like film from the currently censored phase, Panahi leaves home to show us a factual slice of today’s Tehran. He pretends to be a taxi driver who calmly rides throughout the city, interacting with a variety of passengers (real or fictional) in engrossing situations that tell us much about what his people think and how they feel, (re)act, and live. Not a single passenger is futile and the set fits perfectly the filmmaker’s intentions. Among them, we have a short man who illegally sells foreign movies, a wounded man who wants to change his will before dying, two superstitious ladies carrying a fish bowl, Panahi’s talkative niece who’s trying to make a ‘screenable’ short film for school, a conversation with a desolated childhood friend, and a fortuitous encounter with the affable ‘flower lady’ - another victim of the censorship. With an approach that is similar to Kiarostami’s “Ten” and a few references to Panahi’s old films, the unmissable “Taxi” is one of those cinematic wonders you want to prolong. Mr. Panahi’s only sin was not having more characters to ride – maybe because at the end some motorcyclist broke into his taxi. After this movie, I wouldn’t be surprised if, once again, he was considered a serious threat to the Iran’s security and banned from driving in the country.

Closed Curtain (2013)

Directed by: Jafar Panahi
Country: Iran

Movie Review: Simple in execution, sometimes baffling, but hard to forget, “Closed Curtain” is a valid representation of Jafar Panahi’s current inner state. Banned from filmmaking for 20 years, he is left to his own ghosts and frustrations, and even the words of encouragement from his friendly neighbors don’t always make him feel better. The film starts with a long shot through a window, showing the arrival of the first character, a writer who tries to pull out his creative side. He just wants to be in the company of his dog, which he hides from outside persecutors, since the dogs were considered unclean by some ‘unclean’ governmental law. With all the curtains shut, the quietness felt will be altered by the arrival of a suicidal, yet fearless young woman who is also running from the authorities for having participated in an illegal party. She’s the one who tries to open the curtains and rebel against this overwhelming lack of freedom and injustice. Obviously these two characters came out from Panahi himself, representing his inner battles, and gaining a very personal direction whose message is more than evident. Not so immediate as “This Is Not a Film”, "Closed Curtain" still demonstrates that Panahi can be inventive even with few resources available and surrounded by walls. Writer/director Kambuzia Partovi, who had been inactive since 2005, also co-directs and stars. The film was considered best screenplay in the last Berlin Film Festival.

Manuscripts Don't Burn (2013)

Directed by: Mohammad Rasoulof
Country: Iran

Movie Review: Everybody knows what’s happening to the movies coming from Iran, an authoritarian regime that imposes a tight censorship to the media. Mohammad Rasoulof is one of those persecuted filmmakers whose six films were never exhibited in his country of origin. By watching his latest film, “Manuscripts Don’t Burn”, we understand why the Iranian authorities were so concerned about the film and why Rasoulof was arrested in 2010 along with Jafar Panahi, another acclaimed director who refuses to shut his mouth. The film adopts a relentless narrative to tell the story of two men hired by the government with the mission of killing a writer without leaving marks. Furthermore, they have to do whatever is needed to take possession of a compromising manuscript and all its copies. The unstable but methodical ways used by the killers conditioned somehow the pace of the film, which takes its time to show how these illegal operations are carried out. The most interesting thing is to realize the motives of one of the killers who only thinks in earning some money for his sick kid. More political than entertaining, “Manuscripts Don’t Burn” is hard to watch and won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but its socio-political denunciations are extremely important to let the world know how these regimes of fear operate in the shadow. Rasoulof assumes a straightforward direction, revealing harsh realities instead of trying to thrill us. For obvious reasons, the cast and crew refused to have their names exhibited in the final credits.

Rhino Season (2012)

Directed by: Bahman Ghobadi
Country: Iran/Turkey

Review: Bahman Ghobadi went to Turkey to shoot “Rhino Season”, an introspective political thriller with lyrical tones and a very particular pace. 30 years ago, during the Iranian Revolution, Sahel Farzan, a Kurdish-Iranian poet was arrested due to his harmless non-political book entitled “Rhino’s Last Poetry”. His wife’s driver, who was in love with her, made a false accusation driven by envy. Released from prison, Farzan departs to Istambul to search for his wife who believes he has been dead for 20 years. Direction and photography are sublime in this story replete of metaphors. The end is open to multiple interpretations, but it’s clear that Ghobadi wants to show that Iran’s regime is drowning the creativity of its own artists and with that, is also sinking itself. There is no other alternative than to leave a country more and more intolerant to self-expression and parched in its ideas. “Rhino Season” is tragic and evinces a deep sadness and pain... a tough reality for all the oppressed Iranian artists.

Modest Reception (2012)

Directed by: Mani Haghighi
Country: Iran

Review: “Modest Reception” has a turbulent starting. The frenetic jazz heard at the opening credits, soon gives place to an effusive scene involving a strange couple and a checkpoint soldier. This couple simply decided to make a trip to a mountain region and deliver bags full of money to random people. Without knowing their motives or intentions, we just follow the reactions to this unlikely offer. Some people are completely indifferent; others are greedy; some others act suspicious, having to be persuaded to accept the money. Although obscure, the story provokes us somehow. The couple’s behavior denotes some madness, since they seem to enjoy what they’re doing but at the same time can’t hide an enraged personality. Alternating among humor, seriousness and some humiliation, "Modest Reception" simply shows us how unpredictably people behave when confronted with money. A radical experience with an unclear conclusion.

This Is Not A Film (2011)

Directed by: Jafar Panahi
Country: Iran

Plot: This clandestine documentary, smuggled into France in a cake, depicts the day-to-day life of acclaimed director Jafar Panahi during his house arrest.

Quick comment: Panahi is a terrific Iranian director who is being victim of an enormous injustice perpetrated by the government of his country. His scripts were censored and he was condemned to 6 years of prison. Also, for the next 20 years he is not allowed to film or even leave the country. This is a pacific protest, a scream of anger and frustration against this humiliating repression. In the limited space of his home, Panahi just did one more time what he knows best - good and interesting cinema!

Relevant awards: -

Circumstance (2011)

Directed by: Maryam Keshavarz
Country: Iran

Plot: A wealthy Iranian family struggles to contain a teenager's growing sexual rebellion and her brother's dangerous obsession.
Quick comment: Bold plot with a clever direction in this iranian present-day story. We can notice slight glimpses of openness which can’t override with the society’s ultra-conservative ideologies. It will make you think about the consequences of your choices.
Relevant Awards: Best film at Rome Film Fest, Italy; Audience Award at Sundance Film Festival and L.A.Outfest, USA.

A Separation (2011)

Realizado por: Asghar Farhadi

País: Irão

A qualidade do cinema iraniano volta a ser destaque, mais uma vez pela mão de Asghar Farhadi, o realizador que já nos tinha presenteado em 2009 com "about elly". Se este já me tinha agradado imenso, "a separation" agradou muito mais. Com magníficas interpretações e realização simples, o filme toca em tantos pontos sensíveis da cultura iraniana que em tão poucas linhas não conseguiria enumerar tudo. Mas não se fica por aqui, pois foca também conflitos e teimosias comuns à vida de qualquer casal. Com apenas 5 trabalhos lançados, Farhadi pode figurar ao lado de Kiarostami, Makhmalbaf, Ghobadi e Majidi, como um dos maiores representantes do cinema iraniano.

The Hunter (2010)

Realizado por: Rafi Pitts
País: Irão

Prometendo ser bem melhor do que aquilo que acabou por mostrar, este é um filme que traz à tona alguns dos principais problemas do Irão actual. Após de acidentalmente, perder a sua mulher e filha num tiroteio entre polícia e manifestantes, um homem decide vingar-se por sua conta, acabando por matar dois agentes da lei. Depois de perseguido e de fugir para o interior de um bosque, vai beneficiar da discórdia entre os dois polícias que o capturaram. A importância dos temas retratados (corrupção e abuso de poder nas forças policiais, excesso de burocracia nas esquadras da polícia e alienação geral devido à repressão do sistema), contrastam com uma realização menos conseguida. 

The Song of Sparrows (2009)

Realizado por: Majid Majidi
País: Irão

Karim é um criador de avestruzes que leva uma vida simples e honesta numa pequena cidade do campo. Quando uma avestruz foge da quinta onde trabalha, Karim é culpabilizado e despedido. Ao deslocar-se a Teerão para consertar o aparelho auditivo da filha, vai acidentalmente ser confundido com um dos motoristas de moto-taxi da cidade, o que possibilitará o ganho de algum dinheiro para levar para casa. A partir dessa altura vai aventurar-se por diversos trabalhos na capital iraniana, mas aos poucos vai ficando corrompido pelo ambiente desumano da cidade, perdendo a honestidade e o bom coração que antes possuía.

Shirin (2009)

Realizado por: Abbas Kiarostami
País: Irão

Durante 90 minutos, Kiarostami filma as expressões faciais de diversas actrizes, na sua maioria iranianas (com excepção da francesa Juliette Binoche), que se encontram a assistir a um filme sobre Shirin, princesa da Arménia, e a sua história de amor com Khosrow, príncipe da Pérsia. Apesar de muito bem narrado e conseguindo captar aqui e ali algum interesse, não consegue impressionar como o desejado. Kiarostami ficou famoso por fazer cinema de maneira original e minimalista, recorrendo diversas vezes a uma mistura quase perfeita entre realidade e ficção. Recomendo antes, "Close Up", "Ten" e "The Taste of Cherry" (verdadeiras jóias do cinema iraniano).

About Elly (2009)

Realizado por: Asghar Farhadi

País: Irão

Elly é professora no Irão. Após ser convidada pela mãe de uma aluna a passar um fim-de-semana em família numa casa junto ao mar, desaparece misteriosamente na mesma altura em que uma criança é salva de afogamento. Pouco a pouco vão sendo revelados alguns segredos sobre a vida de Elly, suscitando dúvidas se esta se afogou ao tentar salvar a criança ou se simplesmente fugiu.

Com um argumento simples, "about elly" é um filme cativante, envolvente e com momentos de tensão e suspense de grande nível.

Prémios nos Festivais de Berlim, Tribeca, Fajr, Kerala e Funchal.