Iran has made headlines for years due to its internal political tensions, its conflictive relationship with the West and the restrictions imposed by the regime established after the Islamic Revolution of 1979. However, in parallel to this political scenario, the country has developed one of the most influential and respected cinematographies in the world, capable of dialogue with global audiences even under strict state controls.
Iranian cinema has found subtle ways to narrate what cannot always be said directly: economic inequality, the situation of women, the effects of war, moral dilemmas and the weight of religion in everyday life.
These six films allow us to peer into that social and cultural complexity.
“The Cyclist” (1987), Mohsen Makhmalbaf
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Considered one of the founding works of the new Iranian cinema after the revolution, the film tells the story of an Afghan refugee who agrees to pedal for seven days without a break to raise the money he needs for his wife’s medical treatment. Beyond the individual drama, the film exposes the precariousness and exploitation of human suffering turned into spectacle. The absurd competition in which the protagonist participates functions as a metaphor for a society in which necessity forces one to endure extreme conditions, while the public watches with indifference.
“Children of Heaven” (1997), de Majid Majidi
Nominated for the Oscar for best foreign film, this film tells the story of two brothers who must share a single pair of shoes after the boy loses his sister’s shoes. The simplicity of the plot allows us to sensitively portray urban poverty and the dignity of low-income families. Through a child’s perspective, the film shows the economic limitations and structural inequalities that affect a large part of Iranian society.
“Turtles Can Fly” (2004), de Bahman Ghobadi
Set in a Kurdish community on the border with Iraq, the film features a group of children who survive by collecting and defusing landmines before the American invasion. History shows the devastating effects of armed conflicts in the region and how violence especially impacts the most vulnerable populations. Without explicit speeches, the film portrays the fragility of childhood in an environment marked by war and abandonment.
“This Is Not a Film” (2011), de Jafar Panahi
Filmed while the director was under house arrest and was prohibited from filming, this work documents the filmmaker’s routine inside his apartment and his inability to freely exercise his craft. With minimal resources, the film became a symbol of cultural resistance against state censorship. The very existence of the film is a statement about the limits imposed by the regime and the strategies that artists find to continue creating.
“A Separation” (2011), by Asghar Farhadi
Winner of the Oscar for best foreign film, it narrates the process of separation of a couple and the legal conflict that is unleashed after an accusation involving a domestic worker. Through a family drama, it examines the tensions between social classes, religious interpretations of the law and the moral dilemmas faced by the characters. The story offers a complex portrait of contemporary Iranian society, where private decisions are deeply affected by cultural norms and rigid legal structures.
