Children of Heaven (1997)
Short description
Children of Heaven is a 1997 Iranian film directed by Majid Majidi. It tells the story of two siblings, Ali and Zahra, who live in a poor suburb of Tehran. The film follows their struggles to make ends meet and their attempts to keep their family together despite the hardships they face.
The film opens with Ali and Zahra playing in a park, when Ali accidentally loses his sister's shoes. With no money to buy new ones, the two children come up with a plan: they will share one pair of shoes between them, taking turns wearing them each day. This plan leads to some humorous moments as they try to keep up with their daily routines while sharing one pair of shoes.
The main theme of the movie is that of resilience in the face of adversity. Despite their poverty, Ali and Zahra remain optimistic and determined to make the best out of their situation. They are also very resourceful; when they need money for new shoes, they come up with creative ways to earn it such as collecting empty bottles or selling homemade snacks at school.
The performances by the two child actors are outstanding; both Amir Farrokh Hashemian (Ali) and Bahare Seddiqi (Zahra) bring an incredible amount of emotion and realism to their roles. The cinematography is also beautiful; Majidi captures the beauty of Tehran's suburbs in all its glory. The score is also quite effective; it adds an extra layer of emotion to certain scenes without being too intrusive or melodramatic.
Overall, Children of Heaven is an excellent film that manages to be both entertaining and thought-provoking at the same time. It's a touching story about resilience in the face of adversity that will stay with you long after you've seen it. Highly recommended!