Iranian films are always like a sweet treat for those who have an appetite for world cinema and have the courage to go beyond the usual Hollywood and Korean stuff. Many directors and film personalities have expressed their deep respect for Iranian cinema time and again. Here is a simple, yet beautiful, movie from the industry that you might like.
‘The Salesman’ is written and directed by Asghar Farhadi, one of the mavericks of Iranian cinema currently.
The movie tells the story of a young woman who comes to a new neighborhood and is soon assaulted by some goons there. Ranaa, the woman, and her husband Emad are performers in the ‘Death Of A Salesman’ play and have to rehearse regularly. The woman who lived previously in the apartment had a bad reputation and her clients were the goons that assaulted Ranaa. Emad gets determined to avenge his wife and punish the offenders.
The movie is wonderfully executed and if you have not seen any Iranian films, probably this is the best place to start. The movie stars Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti and other actors. The cinematography is handled by Hossein Jafarian and the music is composed by Sattar Oraki.
The movie had its theatrical release in 2016 and it was a joint venture of Iran and France. ‘The Salesman’ was screened at various film festivals and won many awards, including the Academy Award For Best Foreign Language Film.
‘The Salesman’ is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.