Middle Eastern cinema, particularly Iranian films, is known to dive quite deeply into the psyche. Characters, sometimes colorful but often multidimensional, are featured. Starting in the early 20th century, the filmmaking industry in Iran picked up steam. The are some movies that predate the 1960s, but after this time, and especially after the 1979 Iranian revolution, amazing cinematic work was made in Iran.
10 Iranian Movies That Will Make You Appreciate International Cinema
It Was Just an Accident won the much-coveted Palme d’Or at Cannes this year. The Iranian director, Jafar Panahi, has written and directed some of Iran’s finest films. Let’s check out some more amazing top 10 Iranian movies!
1. Breath (2016)
This meaningful film is written and directed by Narges Abyar. Drawing upon her experiences during the Iranian revolution, Abyar tells us the story of Bahar, a young girl who lives with her grandmother while her father is off on the frontlines. This film has garnered multiple awards at several international film festivals. This deserves to be in the 10 Iranian Movies that you must watch.
2. Hit the Road (2021)
This dramedy follows a family taking a road trip across the country. It shows them as they travel with kids and their pet dog. Funny, sometimes irreverent, and frequently touching, this film definitely deserves to be in the top 10 Iranian movies.
3. The Color of Paradise (1999)
The movie is about a boy who is blind. His father, who finds it challenging to deal with this, discovers himself vacillating between whether he wants to stay with his son or leave to live his own life. Award-winning director Majid Majidi directed this moving film and must-watch out of the 10 Iranian movies mentioned.
4. A Separation (2011)
A family is divided between moving to improve their lives and give their child a better opportunity, or staying to take care of an elderly parent with Alzheimer’s disease. This wonderful drama earned the 2012 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
5. About Elly (2009)
About Elly is a multi-award-winning film that’s about a kindergarten teacher who has disappeared. The film is both funny and thrilling, with sympathetic characters. The director, Asghar Farhadi, is known for the film A Separation (the one we listed before), and the next top 10 Iranian movie on our list, The Salesman.
6. The Salesman (2016)
In this Farhadi-directed film, we meet Ranaa and Emad, a married couple who are involved in a theatrical production of ‘Death of a Salesman.’ Unfortunately, she gets attacked shortly after the couple moves to a new apartment. The film deals with the aftermath of this. There is wonderful acting in this movie by Taraneh Alidoosti. Definitely, one of the 10 Iranian Movies you must watch.
7. The Lizard (2004)
A man in jail named Reza pretends to be a Mullah (cleric) so he can escape. Reza then finds out that being a Mullah is a lot more than what he bargained for. The satirical film is mostly a comedy, but it brings a poignant look at Iranian society. The Lizard is a fun watch with a few twists, and deserves to have a spot on our top 10 Iranian films.
8. Life And a Day (2016)
In this Saeed Roustayi-directed film, the main character Somayeh, is getting married to an Afghan man. The film chronicles her relationships with her future husband, her loving (but sometimes crazy and annoying) family, and her goals in life. Will she actually leave her family in Tehran and go to Afghanistan? This film is a great character study of Somayeh.
9. Children of Heaven (1999)
Another Majidi film, Children of Heaven, will not disappoint. The story is about Ali, a young boy who loses his sister’s shoes. Ali tries very hard to get them back, going to great lengths to do so. It’s a heartwarming and inspiring story – and with great acting from a young cast.
10. Ten (2002)
Ten is a film written and directed by Abbas Kiarostami. In this movie, we find a professional driver who has conversations with 10 people she picks up throughout her shift. Every conversation is special in its own way; there is a point and a lesson to be had from each. A different style, but this movie is very decidedly one of the top 10 Iranian movies.
Wrapping Up
The 10 Iranian movies listed here have won awards, but all are worth watching. A few honorable mentions are The Cow, Kandahar, and Crimson Gold, which was penned by Abbas Kiarostami and directed by Jafar Panahi. The secret of Iranian cinema is that the characters are deeply woven into layered and interesting stories.
