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Tue. Mar. 27, 2001
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Art & Culture > Movie &Theatre > Archive
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Movie Review: Children Of Heaven
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Another noteworthy film comes out of Iran - establishing, once again, Iran's talented position within the cinema world.
The Oscar-nominated 1999 film, Children of Heaven, is a brilliant work by director Majid Majidi. Capturing the audience's attention, he gracefully conveys a simple dilemma between a brother and sister through artistry reminiscent of the great Italian film The Bicycle Thief.
The opening shot is a close-up of a pink shoe being repaired - the camera remains fixed for quite a while, providing the intricate details that go into fixing the shoe. When the pair of shoes is ready, Ali (played by the remarkable child actor Mohammad Amir Naji), brother of the shoes' owner, starts on his way home… but first, he must stop at the market to get some potatoes so he momentarily places the shoes in between some boxes.
A garbage collector accidentally takes the bag containing the shoes while Ali is in the market. After failing to find them when he returns, Ali goes home.
We are introduced to Ali's family, and we see how poor they are. They have not been able to pay the rent for about five months as the father is struggling to make a living. On top of everything else, Ali's mother is severely sick, and has been told by the doctor not to do any work.
Ali's sister Zahra (played by the superbly talented Mir Farrokh Hashemian), who is in first grade, cannot wait to see her shoes. Ali tries to avoid talking about them but is, of course, forced to disclose the situation. Herein lies the dilemma behind the movie.
The two agree that they do not want to add to their parents' miseries by telling them that the shoes have been lost. Since Zahra must wear shoes to school, they decide to share Ali's shoes. Because Ali's school does not start until Zahra's gets out, at first this seems practical; yet, they encounter much difficulty, adding to the suspense of the movie.
Ali does not always have enough time to get to school after getting his shoes from Zahra, so he is often tardy and gets a hard time from his principal. Although he makes up excuses for his tardiness, he never reveals the true reason. He is saved by his teacher, who asks the principal to forgive him (this time around). Director-writer Majidi does a wonderful job in conveying his predicament.
Eventually, we meet the girl that has come upon Zahra's shoes. When Ali and Zahra find out where she lives, they realize that her father is a blind beggar. We see the little girl and her father playing a game of cat and mouse, and like Ali and Zahra did, they immediately gain our sympathy.
There is a big marathon race at school that Ali quickly joins when he finds out that the third place prize is a pair of new sneakers. After missing the deadline to join the race, he begs his coach to still allow him participate. The coach finally gives in and allows Ali to join the team. The film ends with the beautifully sequenced and heart-pounding race.
Children of Heaven has what it takes to be one of the finest films to come out of Iran. Since its revolution, the country has been home to a new wave of directors that have produced award winning, highly artistic work year after year. Majid Majidi's ability to direct children and his mastery of the art of visual story telling, particularly through the eyes of innocent children (sometimes we learn more through their eyes than through others), place him among top directors to anticipate in the future.
The film is rated PG and is very clean. It is a definite must see, both as one of the best foreign films to be marketed in the United States and as one of the best films made globally. Although it is a simple story, it is often simplicity that best narrates the struggle and complexities of life.
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