Ever since I watched Majid Majidi's Children Of Heaven, I know that Iranian movies are something worth watching. The films have humanitarian themes, beautiful pictures and do not always have a happy ending. For the last reason, I have many friends refusing to go watching Iranian movies with me.
I usually hunt for the Iranian movies in film festivals or other events that screen non-mainstream movies, such as Jiffest. I've been lucky enough to watch Taste Of Cherry, The Wind Will Carry Us, Willow and Wind, Turtles Can Fly, and Hayat. The last Iranian movie I watched was Cafe Transit in the 2006 Jiffest because Jiffest has been focusing more on Hollywood movies to attract more audience. (Why, Jiffest, why?)
After years of Iranian movies deficiency, I finally got a dose of it last night as Bentara Budaya Jakarta screened six Iranian films this Ramadan. The movie I watched was The Fish Fall In Love that tells the story of Aziz, a man who comes home after 20-year of disappearance and finds that his home has been turned into a restaurant by four ladies, one of them being his former fiancee Atieh.
Taken from here
The ladies believe that Aziz plans to sell the house. So they try to change his mind by serving his favorite food everyday. The inspiration is perhaps taken from Persian legend Shahrazad of the Thousand and One Night who tells her husband one story every night for a thousand and one night in a bid to stop him from killing her.
While the movie has open opening, this one has a rather predictable plot, though. Beside the actors and the actresses, the food also takes the center stage, just like in Cafe Transit. Oh the foods look delicious.
Found here
In Jakarta, there are Lebanese restaurants, Indian restaurants and Turkish restaurants. I wonder if there will be an Iranian restaurant. I'd love to try.
If you also like non-mainstream movies, Bentara Budaya Jakarta has regular screening of said movies. Just check the website. Next month, the cultural center will screen movies by Serbian director Emir Kusturica. I hope I can watch at least one movie.
Have a happy Thursday!
This film was good
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