My Very Own Favorite Movies - Persian
by ntabibian | created - 16 Sep 2013 | updated - 08 Jun 2014 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Children of Heaven (1997)
PG | 89 min | Drama, Family, Sport
After a boy loses his sister's pair of shoes, he goes on a series of adventures in order to find them. When he can't, he tries a new way to "win" a new pair.
Director: Majid Majidi | Stars: Mohammad Amir Naji, Amir Farrokh Hashemian, Bahare Seddiqi, Nafise Jafar-Mohammadi
Votes: 80,625 | Gross: $0.93M
2. The Glass Agency (1998)
114 min | Action, Drama, Romance
The Glass Agency is the story of a war veteran living in post war Iran. It depicts veterans who are suffering from social problems after the war. Society does not understand them and the ... See full summary »
Director: Ebrahim Hatamikia | Stars: Parviz Parastui, Reza Kianian, Habib Rezaei, Ghasem Zare
Votes: 7,261
3. The Color of Paradise (1999)
PG | 90 min | Drama, Family
The story of Mohammed, a blind Iranian boy and his father, Hashem, who is always oscillating between accepting his son as he is and abandoning him, as he represents a burden for him, after the loss of his wife.
Director: Majid Majidi | Stars: Hossein Mahjoub, Mohsen Ramezani, Salameh Feyzi, Farahnaz Safari
Votes: 18,188 | Gross: $1.81M
4. The Lizard (2004)
115 min | Comedy, Drama
A recently jailed petty thief disguises as a Mullah and succeeds in escaping; but has to stay in the Mullah' role longer than he expected to.
Director: Kamal Tabrizi | Stars: Parviz Parastui, Bahram Ebrahimi, Reza Saeedi, Shahrokh Foroutanian
Votes: 22,430
5. The Runner (1984)
Not Rated | 94 min | Drama
After enrolling in a school, an impoverished boy finds conflict with his classmates and decides to compete to earn their respect.
Director: Amir Naderi | Stars: Madjid Niroumand, Abbas Nazeri, Musa Torkizadeh
Votes: 2,330
6. A Separation (2011)
PG-13 | 123 min | Drama
A married couple are faced with a difficult decision - to improve the life of their child by moving to another country or to stay in Iran and look after a deteriorating parent who has Alzheimer's disease.
Director: Asghar Farhadi | Stars: Payman Maadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Bayat, Shahab Hosseini
Votes: 258,341 | Gross: $7.10M
7. The Cow (1969)
Not Rated | 104 min | Drama
An old villager deeply in love with his cow goes to the capital for a while. While he's there, the cow dies and now the villagers are afraid of his possible reaction to it when he returns.
Director: Dariush Mehrjui | Stars: Ezzatolah Entezami, Mahin Shahabi, Ali Nasirian, Jamshid Mashayekhi
Votes: 7,987
8. The Circle (2000)
Not Rated | 90 min | Drama
Various women struggle to function in the oppressively sexist society of contemporary Iran.
Director: Jafar Panahi | Stars: Maryiam Palvin Almani, Nargess Mamizadeh, Mojgan Faramarzi, Elham Saboktakin
Votes: 6,679 | Gross: $0.67M
9. Low Heights (2002)
115 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
A domestic Iranian flight is taken hostage by a man Ghasem who is a refugee of war and has financial problems. He will go any distance for his family and wants to find a better place for living.
Director: Ebrahim Hatamikia | Stars: Hamid Farrokhnezhad, Leila Hatami, Gohar Kheirandish, Amir Aghaee
Votes: 3,850
10. Minoo Watch Tower (1996)
82 min | Drama, War
Minoo who is married to Moosa recently, is moving to the new house. But Moosa receive a letter in which he being told to get back to the Minoo Island (a border island between Iran and Iraq)... See full summary »
Director: Ebrahim Hatamikia | Stars: Niki Karimi, Ali Mosaffa, Mohammad Reza Sharifinia, Ali Nasirian
Votes: 397
11. Offside (2006)
PG | 93 min | Comedy, Drama, Sport
The struggle of women in a country that excludes them from entering stadiums.
Director: Jafar Panahi | Stars: Sima Mobarak-Shahi, Shayesteh Irani, Ayda Sadeqi, Mohammad Asarian
Votes: 8,603 | Gross: $0.18M
12. Leily Is with Me (1996)
95 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
During the war with Iraq, an absurd set of events has an Iranian documentary cinematographer seemingly unable to get out of a dangerous project documenting the war.
Director: Kamal Tabrizi | Stars: Parviz Parastui, Mahmoud Azizi, Maziar Lorestani, Rahman Bagherian
Votes: 5,034
13. The White Balloon (1995)
Unrated | 85 min | Drama, Family
Several people try to help a little girl to find the money her mom gave her to buy a goldfish with.
Director: Jafar Panahi | Stars: Aida Mohammadkhani, Mohsen Kafili, Fereshteh Sadre Orafaiy, Anna Borkowska
Votes: 8,237 | Gross: $0.47M
14. Snowman (1995)
109 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A Iranian man (Akbar Abdi) stuck in Turkey, desperately wants to get a VISA to go to America. He starts dressing up as a woman in hopes of marrying an American man to get American citizenship, but he starts having doubts and...
Director: Davood Mir-Bagheri | Stars: Akbar Abdi, Dariush Arjmand, Parviz Parastui, Azita Hajian
Votes: 2,387
15. The Painting Pool (2013)
PG | 92 min | Drama, Romance
Maryam (Negar Javaherian) and Reza (Shahab Hosseini) are different from other people, it's not just a simple difference, but a very big difference. They must try to prove to others they ... See full summary »
Director: Maziar Miri | Stars: Seyed Mahmoud Chaharsoughi, Siamak Ehsaii, Sepahrad Farzami, Shahab Hosseini
Votes: 5,441
16. The Hidden Half (2001)
103 min | Drama
An official is sent from his home in Tehran to hear the final appeal of a woman sentenced to death, a political prisoner. The official's wife of nearly 20 years, Fereshteh Samimi, writes ... See full summary »
Director: Tahmineh Milani | Stars: Niki Karimi, Mohammad Nikbin, Atila Pesiani, Akbar Moazezi
Votes: 876
17. The Fifth Reaction (2003)
102 min | Drama, Thriller
Fereshteh loses her home and her two sons after her husband's accidental death when Hadj Safdar, her stubborn and powerful father-in-law, forces her to return to her parents. She is faced ... See full summary »
Director: Tahmineh Milani | Stars: Homayoun Ershadi, Ali Ghorbanzadeh, Zandish Hamidi, Jamshid Hashempur
Votes: 649
18. The Red Ribbon (1999)
110 min | Drama, War
A man and a woman fight over the rights to a property.
Director: Ebrahim Hatamikia | Stars: Azita Hajian, Reza Kianian, Parviz Parastui
Votes: 1,201
19. Shirin (2008)
Not Rated | 92 min | Drama
Women's expressions are captured as they watch Khosrow and Shirin, a 12th-century Persian play staged by Kiarostami, revealing their reactions to the unseen narrative.
Director: Abbas Kiarostami | Stars: Mahnaz Afshar, Pegah Ahangarani, Taraneh Alidoosti, Zar Amir Ebrahimi
Votes: 2,842
20. Under the Moonlight (2001)
96 min | Drama
Hassan is a student of Religious /Islamic school and is about to be dressed as a missioner .In such a time when his other mates are excited and are getting ready to be formally dressed and ... See full summary »
Director: Reza Mirkarimi | Stars: Hossein Parastar, Hamed Rajabali, Mehran Rajabi, Mahmoud Nazaralian
Votes: 1,134
21. Beautiful City (2004)
98 min | Drama, Romance
In Islamic Iran, how much is a woman worth in comparison with a man, and who pays the difference? This film is tale of vengeance, labyrinthine judicial procedure & the concept of "blood money."
Director: Asghar Farhadi | Stars: Faramarz Gharibian, Taraneh Alidoosti, Babak Ansari, Ahoo Kheradmand
Votes: 6,195
22. I'm Taraneh, 15 (2002)
110 min | Drama
Fifteen year old Taraneh, whose widowed father is in jail, refuses the unwanted attentions of carpet salesman Amir - until Amir's mother talks Taraneh into accepting Amir's marriage ... See full summary »
Director: Rasoul Sadrameli | Stars: Taraneh Alidoosti, Negar Javaherian, Hossein Mahjoub, Mahtab Nasirpour
Votes: 3,809
23. Under the Skin of the City (2001)
92 min | Drama
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 | Stars: Golab Adineh, Mohammad Reza Forutan, Baran Kosari, Ebrahim Sheibani
Votes: 1,675
24. Mom's Guest (2004)
103 min | Comedy, Drama
A mother of a poor family, has guests coming over, yet doesn't know how to get the dinner party altogether with limited resources.
Director: Dariush Mehrjui | Stars: Golab Adineh, Parsa Pirouzfar, Amin Hayayee, Hassan Pourshirazi
Votes: 4,673
25. The Actor (1993)
88 min | Comedy, Drama
It is about a burly film actor who wants to act only in art films but is forced by his family's economic demands to do a string of trashy commercial movies. His tormented wife, infertile ... See full summary »
Director: Mohsen Makhmalbaf | Stars: Akbar Abdi, Azita Hajian, Hamideh Kheirabadi, Fatemah Motamed-Aria
Votes: 709
26. The Blue-Veiled (1995)
85 min | Drama, Romance
An elderly owner of a tomato farm and sauce factory, after his wife's death, falls in love with one of the workers of the factory endangering his relationship with his daughters and in-laws... See full summary »
Director: Rakhshan Banietemad | Stars: Ezzatolah Entezami, Fatemah Motamed-Aria, Golab Adineh, Afsar Asadi
Votes: 800
27. So Close, So Far (2005)
121 min | Drama
Dr. Alam, a very profiled specialist in neurology and a successful surgeon, is drowned in his professional and social work, in a way that he has totally forgotten all about his son Saman. ... See full summary »
Director: Reza Mirkarimi | Stars: Alireza Phoenix, Masoud Rayegan, Afshin Hashemi, Farbod Masoud Vaziri
Votes: 2,842
28. A House Built on Water (2002)
108 min | Drama, Fantasy
A surrealist story about Dr. Sepidbakht who one night when driving hit an angel with his car and his hand is injured deeply by touching that angel's fingers. He has several problems in his ... See full summary »
Director: Bahman Farmanara | Stars: Ezzatolah Entezami, Reza Kianian, Hediyeh Tehrani, Jamshid Mashayekhi
Votes: 1,257
29. The Music Man (2007)
107 min | Drama, Musical, Romance
Not being able to work because of the religious country's prejudice against music, a talented Santour player has to deal with poverty, addiction and the absence of his ex-wife.
Director: Dariush Mehrjui | Stars: Bahram Radan, Golshifteh Farahani, Masoud Rayegan, Roya Teymourian
Votes: 9,351
30. Ten (2002)
Not Rated | 94 min | Drama
A visual social examination in the form of ten conversations between a driving woman and her various pick-ups and hitchhikers.
Director: Abbas Kiarostami | Stars: Mania Akbari, Amina Maher, Kamran Adl, Roya Akbari
Votes: 8,600 | Gross: $0.11M
31. Kamalolmolk (1984)
122 min | Biography, Drama, History
The movie chronicles the life of the famous painter Kamololmolk, and his relationship with various kings.
Director: Ali Hatami | Stars: Jamshid Mashayekhi, Ezzatolah Entezami, Ali Nasirian, Davoud Rashidi
Votes: 1,235
32. Fireworks Wednesday (2006)
Not Rated | 102 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance
On the last Wednesday before the spring solstice ushers in the Persian New Year, people set off fireworks following an ancient Zoroastrian tradition. Rouhi, spending her first day at a new job, finds herself in the midst of a different kind of fireworks -- a domestic dispute between her new boss and his wife.
Director: Asghar Farhadi | Stars: Hediyeh Tehrani, Taraneh Alidoosti, Hamid Farrokhnezhad, Pantea Bahram
Votes: 13,485
33. In the Name of the Father (2006)
96 min | Drama, War
This is about a father and his daughter who has been injured from the mines from Iran-Iraq war.
Director: Ebrahim Hatamikia | Stars: Parviz Parastui, Mahtab Nasirpour, Golshifteh Farahani, Kambiz Dirbaz
Votes: 1,830
34. Dead Wave (2001)
Drama, War
Even after ten years, Lieutenant Morteza Rashed still has nightmares of corpses and dolls floating around after the fall of the Airbus plane by those who served aboard USS Vincennes at 1988.
Director: Ebrahim Hatamikia | Stars: Parviz Parastui, Azita Hajian, Ghasem Zare, Kambiz Kashefi
Votes: 392
35. The Color Purple (2010)
97 min | Drama, Romance, Thriller
An undercover Iranian intelligence officer investigates the political status of a college student, whose parents were active members of the mujahedin khalgh radical group.
Director: Ebrahim Hatamikia | Stars: Hamid Farrokhnezhad, Khazar Ma'soomi, Farhad Ghaemian, Kourosh Tahami
Votes: 1,913
36. Minoo Watch Tower (1996)
82 min | Drama, War
Minoo who is married to Moosa recently, is moving to the new house. But Moosa receive a letter in which he being told to get back to the Minoo Island (a border island between Iran and Iraq)... See full summary »
Director: Ebrahim Hatamikia | Stars: Niki Karimi, Ali Mosaffa, Mohammad Reza Sharifinia, Ali Nasirian
Votes: 397
37. Green Ashes (1994)
98 min | Drama, War
Hadi travels to Croatia to complete his researches on Film making. His friend Aziz who has heard about his trip gives him a photo and a VHS cassette asking him to look after a girl Fatemeh ... See full summary »
Director: Ebrahim Hatamikia | Stars: Atila Pesiani, Zlata Plsková, Barbora Bobulova, Asghar Naghizadeh
Votes: 199
38. Hajji Washington (1983)
98 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
A loyal and simple-minded statesman is appointed as the first Iranian ambassador in the U.S. but soon starts to lose his mind from homesickness and inaction.
Director: Ali Hatami | Stars: Ezzatolah Entezami, Richard Harrison, Russel Case, Mario Donatone
Votes: 764
39. Argo (2012)
R | 120 min | Biography, Drama, History
Acting under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.
Director: Ben Affleck | Stars: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Alan Arkin
Votes: 638,743 | Gross: $136.03M
40. House of Sand and Fog (2003)
R | 126 min | Crime, Drama
An abandoned wife is evicted from her house and starts a tragic conflict with her house's new owners.
Director: Vadim Perelman | Stars: Jennifer Connelly, Ben Kingsley, Ron Eldard, Frances Fisher
Votes: 72,558 | Gross: $13.01M
41. Day of the Angel (1994)
82 min | Comedy, Fantasy
Nyatollah is a rich stingy guy who loves money. One day when he goes to the court to do a job for a friend he is thrown from the roof. This is the beginning of his acquaintance with Djin and the beginning of his adventure.
Director: Behruz Afkhami | Stars: Ezzatolah Entezami, Akbar Abdi, Mina Lakani, Mohamad Reza Honarmand
Votes: 511
42. King of the Hearts (1968)
135 min | Drama, Musical, Romance
A little girl with a blind mother, accidentally becomes friends with a famous and rich singer who decides to help her in her life.
Director: Mohamad Ali Fardin | Stars: Mohamad Ali Fardin, Azar Shiva, Victoria Nerssisian, Habibollah Boloor
Votes: 997
43. City of Mice (1986)
92 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
Probably the most famous puppet show for children and all ages. Mice who have to leave their school and immigrate because of a wild cat who wants to eat them up. Eventually the mice defeat the cat and go back to their home.
Directors: Marzieh Boroomand, Mohammad Ali Talebi | Stars: Adel Bezdoudeh, Nima Fallah, Hamid Jebeli, Fariba Jeddikar
Votes: 1,637
44. Redhat and Cousin (1995)
92 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
A boy travels a long way from his village to Tehran to work as a showman in a kid's show; but finds it harder than he thought.
Director: Iraj Tahmasb | Stars: Morteza Ahmadi, Akbar Doodkar, Farokhlagha Hushmand, Hamid Jebeli
Votes: 4,911
45. Kolah Ghermezi and Sarvenaz (2002)
95 min | Adventure, Family, Romance
Two bandits kidnap a boy who in the same time is helping a girl who has been a prisoner in her room for whole life.
Director: Iraj Tahmasb | Stars: Iraj Tahmasb, Fatemah Motamed-Aria, Reza Fieze Norouzi, Reza Attaran
Votes: 2,569
46. Golnar (1989)
85 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
A children's film with music and puppet animals that participate in the lives of villagers in rural Iran. The film centres on the idyllic life of Golnar, a young girl who lives with her ... See full summary »
Director: Kambuzia Partovi | Stars: Shahla Riahi, Moharram Basim, Ghazal Shakeri, Akbar Doodkar
Votes: 253
47. Good Will Hunting (1997)
R | 126 min | Drama, Romance
Will Hunting, a janitor at M.I.T., has a gift for mathematics, but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life.
Director: Gus Van Sant | Stars: Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Stellan Skarsgård
Votes: 1,066,327 | Gross: $138.43M
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