Sib (1998)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Samira Makhmalbaf

Writers:

Mohsen Makhmalbaf (writer)
Samira Makhmalbaf (writer)

Release Date:

19 February 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

After twelve years of imprisonment by their own parents, two sisters are finally released by social workers to face the outside world for the first time. |

Plot Keywords:

Social Worker | Apple | Semi Documentary | Watch | Ignorance

Awards:

7 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Massoumeh Naderi	...	Massoumeh
Zahra Naderi	...	Zahra
Ghorban Ali Naderi	...	Father
Azizeh Mohamadi	...	Azizeh
Zahra Saghrisaz

Directed by
Samira Makhmalbaf

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Mohsen Makhmalbaf		writer
Samira Makhmalbaf		writer (as Samireh Makhmalbaf)

Produced by
Iraj Sarbaz	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Mohamad Ahmadi
Ebrahim Ghafori

Film Editing by
Mohsen Makhmalbaf

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hana Makhmalbaf	....	assistant director
Marzieh Makhmalbaf	....	assistant director (as Marzieh Meshkini)
Akbar Meshkini	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Behroz Shahamat	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Hossein Amiri	....	camera operator
Maysam Makhmalbaf	....	still photographer
Reza Sheykhi	....	camera operator

Other crew
John Robert Miller	....	subtitler

Production Companies

• Hubert Bals Fund
• MK2 Productions
• Makhmalbaf Productions

Distributors

• MK2 Diffusion (1998) (France) (theatrical)
• Artificial Eye (1998) (UK) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Kairos Filmverleih (1999) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Primer Plano Film Group (1999) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Moskwood Media (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)

Also Known As:

The Apple (Canada: English title) (USA)
La pomme (France)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

Iran | France

Language:

Persian

Color:

Color

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | France:U | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG

Company:

Hubert Bals Fund

Trivia:

Samira Makhmalbaf was able to shoot this film with film stock left over from her father's film _Sokhout (1998)_.

Movie Connections:

References Poto and Cabengo (1980)

Movie with a Message

Director Samira Makhmalbaf in her movie Sib (The Apple) speaks of how two young girls are confined to the four-walls of their house. At a time when women are treated on par with men, it is saddening to see that there are places in this world (Iran for one) where people still consider it taboo to educate the woman child, or as in this movie even let them outside their homes to see how the world looks like.

There's more to it. Their father is a 65-year-old beggar and their mom a blind lady who is paranoid about her daughters going to school or even outside their house. Their folks don't ever keep the girls clean. They are even deprived of a decent bath all these years. The result: The girls are unable to think like normal kids and grow up slightly deranged. Other than the blooming flowerpot outside their house and the sun, the girls have hardly witnessed what God's creation (Earth) looks like. This mere fact shocks viewers IMMEDIATELY. The pathetic plight of the girls will make viewers reach for their hankies.

But there's hope. They do get to come out and see the world and learn things when a social service organization helps them out. What happens, next and how they do it is for you to see.

The movie in its entirety moves more like a documentary and less like a movie. It is definitely not the run-of-the-mill cinema. In-fact it is on a higher plane than even commercial cinema. The social message is so powerful that the movie leaves a strong impression about the future of the woman child in places like Iran etc.

Critically acclaimed, Samira directed this movie when she was only 19. Kudos to her. At a age whilst most of us haven't even figured out life, here is someone who speaks of social problems plaguing third world countries. Must view for those who look for a social message in movies.