Santoori (2007)

Ali is son of a well-off family who plays santoor (an Iranian instrument like dulcimer) and has earned some reputation through his concerts and teaching music but is rejected by his family ... See full summary »

Director:

Dariush Mehrjui

Writers:

Dariush Mehrjui, Vahidéa Mohammadi

Stars:

Bahram Radan, Golshifteh Farahani, Masoud Rayegany

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Bahram Radan	...	Ali Boloorchi
Golshifteh Farahani	...	Hanieh
Masoud Rayegany	...	Ali's father
Roya Taymourian	...	Ali's mother
Nader Soleymani	...	Hamed Boloorchi
Maedeh Tahmasebi	...	Hanieh's mother
Mahyar Poor Hesabi	...	Tamayol
Siamak Khahani	...	Javid
Mohammad Solooki	...	Psychologist
Hassan Pourshirazi	...	Addict
Sadreddin Hejazi	...	Addict
Ali Asghar Tabasi
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kianoosh Gerami	...	Party intruder

Storyline

Ali is son of a well-off family who plays santoor (an Iranian instrument like dulcimer) and has earned some reputation through his concerts and teaching music but is rejected by his family because of this profession which they despise. He falls for one of his music students but after a short blissful period, life doesn't treat him as well as before and also his addiction agonizes him in his numbered days before redemption.

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Plot Keywords:

father son relationship | iran | iranian couple | singer | party | 

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Genres:

Drama | Musical

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Details

Country:

Iran

Language:

Persian

Release Date:

2007 (Iran)

Also Known As:

Ali santoori

Filming Locations:

Tehran, Iran

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Golshifteh Farahani plays the piano herself in the film.

User Reviews

The Lower Depths

With Santoori, the famed Iranian director, Dariush Mehrjui has achieved the rare distinction of having had films banned in Iran both before and after the 1979 revolution (Dayereh Mina, AKA The Cycle and Santoori respectively). Both films share similar traits in that they try to show some aspects of the Iranian society that authorities would rather keep hidden: drug addiction and corruption in The Cycle and drug addiction and treatment of musicians in Iran in Santoori.

Ali Santoori is a musician (playing the Persian instrument Santoor), disowned by his wealthy family for having chosen music as a career, refused a license by the authorities to record and reduced to playing at private parties to earn a living. These hardships have forced him to drug addiction and affected Ali's relationship with his wife. Along the way, the movie makes strong statements about the life of the young, and specially artists and musicians, in Iran.

Santoori has all the usual Mehrjui hallmarks: strong characterization, rich and naturalistic dialogue and lack of stereotypes, even in the minor characters. This is best demonstrated in a scene where Ali visits his parents.

Santoori presents the juiciest role for a lead actor in Mehrjui films since Hamoon. Bahram Radan has risen to the occasion and gives an award worthy performance. He is well matched by Golshifteh Farahani as his suffering wife. Casting, as in all Mehrjui films, is near perfect. Another notable plus is the music and the songs which perfectly fit the scenes.