Children of Heaven    GlenVIEWINGS:  Modern Iran 

Presents GlenVIEWINGS: Modern Iran Children of Heaven “Ali, how am I going to go to school tomorrow without shoes?" ­ Zahra
Director: Majid Majidi Producers: Amir Esfandiari, Mohammad Esfandiari Writer: Majid Majidi Starring: Amir Farrokh Hashemian Bahare Seddiqi Music Keivan Jahanshahi Cinematography Parviz Malekzaade Editing Hassan Hassandoost Distributor: Miramax Films Release date: January 22, 1999 Running time: 89 minutes Budget US$180,000 Box Office gross US$933,933 (US) •
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Children of Heaven is a charming, populist film that celebrates the pure vitality of childhood and familial love. Acclaimed director Majid Majidi takes a simple premise ‐ a brother and sister's attempt to hide the loss of pair of shoes ‐ and imbues his story with poetic beauty, while also providing a subtle socioeconomic critique of capitalism within modern Iran. While paying homage to the cinematic tradition of neo‐realist classics like Bicycle Thieves and The 400 Blows, the film is also an example of the emergence of a 'new wave' Iranian cinema in the 1990's. An emphasis on direct, semi‐documentary filmmaking, often depicting harsh realities from a child's perspective (as a way to circumvent censorship and/or secure funding), was a key trope of these internationally successful films. However, due to Majidi's unashamedly crowd‐
pleasing sensibilities, his work differs from the majority of these downbeat and austere films. This might explain why Children of Heaven was rewarded with an Oscar nomination for best foreign‐language film, still the only time an Iranian film has been so honored. Coaxing naturalistic performances of precocious maturity from his non‐professional cast, Majidi deserves praise for creating an accessible, humanist film that presents an honest, eye‐opening portrayal of life in Iran while retaining a universal appeal. Did you know? •
The film was funded by the Iranian government's Center for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, and was thought controversial for its representation of poverty. However, the film was a huge hit with Iranian audiences, and swept the country’s awards ceremonies. • To create a heightened sense of realism, many of the film's street scenes were filmed with hidden cameras and featured unaware members of the public. The actors were also often unaware of the camera's location. Director Majidi based set his next film, The Color of Paradise, in a school for blind children after visiting one during the casting of Children of Heaven. Majidi's 2008 film Colors Fly was one of 5 shorts picked to show visions of Beijing as part of the Olympic games. Majidi's film won the gold medal. Presents GlenVIEWINGS: Modern Iran Children of Heaven "You're not a kid anymore. You're 9 years old" ­ Ali's Father Food for Thought •
How does the film differ from mainstream western cinema in its depiction of childhood, families and Muslim culture in general? In what ways is it similar? •
In what ways do the filmmakers use shoes to symbolize different aspects of modern Iran? •
Did the film alter your preconceptions of Iran in a positive or negative way? •
How critical is the film of current class relations and capitalism within Iran? How effectively does it present these criticisms? •
How does the ending of the film make you feel? Presents GlenVIEWINGS: Modern Iran Children of Heaven "I didn't tell mum" ­ Zahra "I knew you wouldn't" ­ Ali Library Resources 1) A history of Iran : empire of the mind, Michael Axworthy. A comprehensive history of this fascinating country, from the Achaemenids to Ahmadinejid. Copy 975.54 PRI Material Location Book Nonfiction 2) The struggle for Iran, Christopher De Bellaigue. The definitive current book on Iran, from a journalist who has lived in Tehran since 1999. The book is noted for its coverage of how Iran’s youth are making efforts to hybridize Muslim and Western cultures despite a bleak political situation. Copy 973.21 KUP Material Location Book Nonfiction 4) Persepolis [videorecording (DVD)] Marjane Satrapi's acclaimed memoir of an Iranian childhood was the basis for this funny and touching film, winner of the Jury Prize at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival and an Academy Award nominee for Best Animated Feature. DVD NEW DVD, Fiction Audio‐Visual ‐ Movies 5) The Color of Paradise [videorecording (DVD)] Majidi followed the success of Children of Heaven with The Color of Paradise, a tale of a blind boy's struggle to be accepted by his own family during a summer vacation. Copy Material Location DVD COL DVD, Fiction Audio‐Visual ‐ Movies 6) Baran (Rain) [videorecording (DVD)] Majidi's quietly affecting 2002 film about Afghan immigrants working at a construction site in Iran. Copy Material DVD BAR DVD, Fiction Location Audio‐Visual ‐ Movies Presents GlenVIEWINGS: Modern Iran Children of Heaven “What did your mum do with your old shoes?” – Zahra “She threw them out.” – Zahra’s friend “She threw them out! Why? What for?” ­Zahra Online Resources http://www.cinemajidi.com/ Director Majid Majidi's official website contains a biography, interviews and synopses of each of his multi‐award‐winning films. http://www.avclub.com/articles/majid‐majidi,13578/ A 1999 Onion AV Club interview with Majidi discussing the working environment encountered by many Iranian directors. http://www.rossanthony.com/interviews/majidi.shtml A brief interview with director Majidi. http://www.iranchamber.com/cinema/mmajidi/majid_majidi.php The Iran Chamber Society's official page on director Majidi's career. The website also contains a wealth of information on other contemporary Iranian artists, authors and filmmakers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjV6Qs3fGnY Majidi's Gold Medal‐winning short film Colors Fly, selected to represent a vision of Beijing for the 2008 Olympic games. http://www.iraninfo.dk/iransk‐film‐historie‐history‐of‐iranian‐cinema.html An online documentary and accompanying essay on the long and complex history of Iranian cinema before the ‘new wave’. http://www.greencine.com/static/primers/iran‐1.jsp An excellent primer on the key players in Iranian cinema’s late 1990’s ‘new wave’, placing Majidi in context alongside directors such as Abbas Kiarostami and Mohsen Makhmalbaf. http://www.iraninfo.dk/iransk‐biograf‐og‐dokumentar‐filme‐iran‐
movies/index.html The site offers lots of Iranian films for free, including some famous award‐
winners.