Bacheha-Ye aseman (1997)

Director:

Majid Majidi

Writer:

Majid Majidi (writer)

Release Date:

22 January 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

A Little Secret...Their Biggest Adventure

Plot:

Zohre's shoes are gone; her older brother Ali lost them. They are poor, there are no shoes for Zohre...

Plot Keywords:

Bubble | Illness | Shoemaker | Grocery | Lateness

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 10 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Mohammad Amir Naji	...	Ali's Father (as Amir Naji)
Amir Farrokh Hashemian	...	Ali (as Mir Farrokh Hashemian)
Bahare Seddiqi	...	Zahra
Nafise Jafar-Mohammadi	...	Roya
Fereshte Sarabandi	...	Ali's Mother
Kamal Mirkarimi	...	Assistant (as Kamal Mir Karimi)
Behzad Rafi	...	Trainer (as Behzad Rafiee)
Dariush Mokhtari	...	Ali's Teacher
Mohammad-Hasan Hosseinian	...	Roya's Father
Masume Dair	...	Roya's Mother
Kambiz Peykarnegar	...	Race Organizer
Hasan Roohparvari	...	Race Photographer
Abbas-Ali Roomandi	...	Shoemaker
Jafar Seyfollahi	...	Green Grocer
Qolamreza Maleki	...	Salt Seller

Also Known As:

Children of Heaven (USA)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

Iran

Language:

Persian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Malaysia:U | Iceland:L | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | France:U | Hong Kong:I | Singapore:PG | South Korea:All | USA:PG | Peru:PT

Filming Locations:

Tehran, Iran

Company:

The Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children & Young Adults

Trivia:

Selected as Iran's submission in the Best Foreign Film category for the 1999 Oscars.

Movie Connections:

References Ladri di biciclette (1948)

Solid, moving. There should be more movies like this!

This movie quietly puts to shame the majority of junk spewing out of Hollywood. A fat wad of cash thrown at big names and special effects cannot move the human soul like the innocence and sincerety displayed by Majidi's cast and direction. It's a shame that there are not more movies like this.

The plot is simple, the actors sincere and the tone spot-on. This movie works because we're drawn into the world of Ali, his life and his surrounding. Kudos to Majidi's craftsmanship. Ali's plight, though simple (if not trivial to most of us), becomes his obsession because of his love and respect for his sister and his family. We would do well to be so moved! The climax of the movie is brilliant! Ali's grueling determination to win a race and get shoes for his sister results in an unwanted triumph! (Sorry - no spoilers here. You'll have to see the movie). I must be getting older, because I'm moved with emotions just describing the movie -- and it's been months since I've seen it!

The redemption of Ali's resulting emotion and confusion will be lost on an innatentive viewer, so *PAY CLOSE ATTENTION* to the last 10 minutes of the movie.

Beauty doesn't have to forcibly blow you away. This movie is simply beautiful, and it will blow you away.