The Song of Sparrows (2008)

When an ostrich-rancher focuses on replacing his daughter's hearing aid, which breaks right before crucial exams, everything changes for a struggling rural family in Iran. Karim motorbikes ... See full summary »

Director:

Majid Majidi

Writers:

Nasser Hashemzadeh (script advisor), Mehran Kashani

Stars:

Mohammad Amir Naji, Maryam Akbari, Kamran Dehghan

7 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Mohammad Amir Naji	...	Karim (as Reza Najie)
Maryam Akbari	...	Nargess
Kamran Dehghan	...	Abbas
Hamid Aghazi	...	Hossein
Schabnam Akhlaghi	...	Haneyeh
Neshat Nazari	...	Zarah
Hassan Rezaee	...	Ramezan
Ponya Salehi	...	Ponya

Storyline

When an ostrich-rancher focuses on replacing his daughter's hearing aid, which breaks right before crucial exams, everything changes for a struggling rural family in Iran. Karim motorbikes into a world alien to him - incredibly hectic Tehran, where sudden opportunities for independence, thrill and challenge him. But his honor and honesty, plus traditional authority over his inventive clan, are tested, as he stumbles among vast cultural and economic gaps between his village nestled in the desert, and a throbbing international metropolis.

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Plot Keywords:

honesty | village | hearing aid | iran | bird in title | 

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Taglines:

Chasing dreams. Finding hope.

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Genres:

Drama | Family

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for brief mild language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site (us) sourehcinema

Country:

Iran

Language:

Persian Azerbaijani

Release Date:

1 October 2008 (Iran)

Also Known As:

The Song of Sparrows

Filming Locations:

Tehran, Iran

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,863, 5 April 2009

Gross USA:

$116,372

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$220,360

Company Credits

Production Co:

Majid Majidi Film Production (I) (II)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Iran's 2009 Academy Awards official submission to Foreign-Language Film category.

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Goofs

Spoiler: The ostrich that escaped is male. Therefore it couldn't have laid those eggs found in the field. Male ostriches are big and it's colors are black and white; females are small and gray. The last scene shows an male ostrich in a typically male mating performance.

User Reviews

delightful family movie

I don't know if this movie is considered a comedy, but soooo many funny things happen it's hilarious from start to finish. The main thing that comes to mind is murphy's law (if it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all; or, if anything can go wrong, it will.) I also really enjoyed seeing the Iranian landscape and their way of life. Everything that can be used or fixed is utilized. This movie is serious, funny, heartwarming, and good clean family type of entertainment. I thought the acting was great, and the characters endearing. This has got to be one of the best foreign films I've seen. Best thing since Slumdog Millionaire. Too bad it wasn't in English, but than maybe that added to the overall sense of the movie.