The Apple (1998)

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.

Director:

Samira Makhmalbaf

Writers:

Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Samira Makhmalbaf (as Samireh Makhmalbaf)

Stars:

Massoumeh Naderi, Zahra Naderi, Ghorban Ali Naderi

7 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Massoumeh Naderi	...	Massoumeh
Zahra Naderi	...	Zahra
Ghorban Ali Naderi	...	Father
Azizeh Mohamadi	...	Azizeh
Zahra Saghrisaz

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

family drama | docudrama | contemporary | feminist film | real twins playing twins | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Iran France

Language:

Persian

Release Date:

19 February 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Apple

Filming Locations:

Iran

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$15,207, 21 February 1999, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$116,758, 27 June 1999

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hubert Bals Fund, MK2 Productions, Makhmalbaf Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Samira Makhmalbaf makes her directorial debut at the tender age of just 17. She is not however the youngest director on record - that accolade belongs to Sydney Ling who was just 13 when he made Lex, the Wonder Dog (1973).

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Connections

References Poto and Cabengo (1980)

User Reviews

A powerfully subtle, highly intelligent and compassionate film, visually stunning.

I can't add much to the review by Bob the Moo from Birmingham, who pretty much sums up the strengths of this film. However, as an illustration of the skill of the film-maker I would like to mention one scene that stands out in my memory, not in detail so as not to 'spoil', where a sense of incipient menace is subtly hinted at - one is almost expecting something horrible to go wrong to prove that it was right to keep the girls imprisoned for their own safety and this looks like being the moment when it happens; one hardly dares hope that it will have a happy and positive outcome - but it doesn't. It turns out there is nothing to worry about at all. This sounds like a non-event, but I found the subtlety with which this point was made quite outstanding.

The film is a pure delight, more powerful than any heavy diatribe against repressive regimes. The compassion with which all participants are presented in their own contexts, particularly the father who could have been demonised but isn't, is also outstanding. No judgements are made, and the lessons are all the more clear and convincing for that.

This is a film that stands out in my mind, both visually and symbolically, as clearly today as when I saw it several years ago.