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 Netherlands

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

Featured in Brows Held High: This Is Not a Film (2014)

User Reviews

The apple of eden

"The apple" is very much from the school of Kiarostami, Makhmalbaf & Co. Some call it Iranian Cinema, and I have my background info from a Documentary on "Iranian Cinema", too. Directed by Samira Makhbalbaf, the daughter of the Makhbalhaf I was referring to before. Wait, let's start again: Samira, undoubtedly influenced by her father Mohsen, made a movie about a story which was in the papers. Her style is moralist, she has a mission: Show the 'real story' behind the news. Tell us about the perspective of the real people behind the story. The artistic means is to take the 'real people' and let them (rein)act the things, and film it. All this is done in a nice style, which shows that it was done _for_ and not against those people. In the end she has a message: the apple of eden (=see the world, don't stay at home, enjoy enlightenment, take part in buying and selling, have contact with other people...) is a scary thing, but it is not that scary as people would think. This fear makes them do such things like locking in their children for 11 years. That is the message, and it is told in a charming way. Still, personally I could not quite identify, because this is not my problem. There Abbas' messages (also told through the vehicle of 'real' people) are much closer to my life.