Under the City's Skin (2001)
"Zir-e poost-e shahr" (original title)

Tuba works daily at a grueling textile factory in Iran, returning home every night to deal with the rest of her problematic family, which includes: a pregnant daughter whose husband beats ... See full summary »

Director:

Rakhshan Bani-Etemad

Writers:

Rakhshan Bani-Etemad, Farid Mostafavi

Stars:

Golab Adineh, Mohammad Reza Forutan, Baran Kosari

5 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Golab Adineh	...	Tuba
Mohammad Reza Forutan	...	Abbas
Baran Kosari	...	Mahboubeh
Ebrahin Sheibani	...	Ali
Mohsen Ghazi Moradi	...	Mahmoud the Father
Mehraveh Sharifinia	...	Masoumeh
Homeira Riazi	...	Hamideh
Alireza Oosivand	...	Nasser Khan
Mehrdad Falahatger	...	Marandi
Maryam Boubani	...	Masoumeh's Mother
Nazanin Farahani	...	Nahid

Storyline

Tuba works daily at a grueling textile factory in Iran, returning home every night to deal with the rest of her problematic family, which includes: a pregnant daughter whose husband beats her regularly; a teenage son, who's been getting into trouble due to his burgeoning career in radical politics; and an older son who goes to great lengths--such as attempting to sell the family's meager house--in order to get an engineering job in Japan as a means of getting out of Iran. Unfortunately the 'friend' to whom he gave his money as an advance for his trip took off with the money, and the son finds himself without money, without a career, and with a debt towards a lot of people. To solve his problems he wants to deliver a package of heroin, but loses it, and has to flee. The film ends dramatically with a direct call from the mother to the camera crew asking what life has given them after all the sacrifices they have done, mirroring the opening scene.

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Plot Keywords:

textile factory | title directed by female | social problem

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Iran

Language:

Persian

Release Date:

25 May 2005 (France)

Also Known As:

Under the Skin of the City

Filming Locations:

Tehran, Iran

Company Credits

Production Co:

Farabi Cinema Foundation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

User Reviews

George Bush must hate Americans, because he wants to kill these people, who are... pretty much like ourselves.

A well made, rather sad story about a traditional Iranian family having to confront the intrusions of the Modern era - represented by the realtor's greed and the young man's heroin addiction. The film-makers do not shy away from the fact that the current regime can only address these issues with dictates derived from sharia (muslim civil law), and that this does not yet - at least not yet as so far interpreted - provide solutions the characters can live with. Perhaps it will one day

• the film-makers (wisely, I think) leave that matter open.

What we are left with here are very human, even painfully human, characters with all the problems humans confront everywhere on a daily basis - providing house and home to one's family; dealing with failed ambition and disappointed expectations; learning to live with a multitude of human weaknesses.

Gee, don't they sound like many Americans? And these are the people that George Bush wants destroyed? Well, never mind the big Texas yo-yo

• fools are plentiful and, thankfully, shortlived.

The use of HDTV camera and the cramped spaces of the sets used (apparently real homes after all), may jar a little; but the passion - and honesty - behind the film is clear, and highly welcome. Also, of course, one can't say enough good about the acting here, it is all top notch.

A brilliant and insightful little film that more Americans need to witness.