Zir-e poost-e shahr (2001)

A valuable visual commentary on modern society, 'Under The Skin Of The City' follows one Iranian family in their eternal struggle to stay afloat financially and emotionally. Touba works ... See full summary »

Director:

Rakhshan Banietemad (as Rakhshan Bani-Etemad)

Writers:

Rakhshan Banietemad (as 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
Ebrahim 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
Vahid Razaghi	...	Homayoon

Storyline

A valuable visual commentary on modern society, 'Under The Skin Of The City' follows one Iranian family in their eternal struggle to stay afloat financially and emotionally. Touba works hard at a textile factory to make ends meet during the day, returning in the evening to face the trials and tribulations of her family: her pregnant daughter who frequently suffers at the hands of her abusive husband, a son embroiled in radical politics, and another son who hopes to escape to Japan. In their fight for self-determination and independence, Touba and her family come to represent the plight of the working class in modern day Tehran.

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Plot Keywords:

textile factory | f rated | title directed by female | social problem | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

IMVBox.com sourehcinema

Country:

Iran

Language:

Persian

Release Date:

25 May 2005 (France)

Also Known As:

Bajo la piel de la ciudad

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.