Blackboard

Colour, 35 mm
Iran, 2000, 85 min
Section: Forum of Independents

Synopsis

After a bombing in Iranian Kurdistan, teachers wander from one city to another seeking pupils. Along the way, one of them meets a group of teenagers secretly planning to cross the border. He tries to teach them how to read and write but no one really cares. Another teacher meets a group of old people trying to get back to their homeland... This metaphoric, symbolic film combines documentary elements with strong poetic images.

About the director

Samira Makhmalbaf (b. 1980, Tehran) became involved in cinema at the age of seven when she appeared in The Cyclist (1988), directed by her father, Mohsen Makhmalbaf. Ten years later she worked as an assistant director on his film Silence (1998). She made two videos before directing her first feature, The Apple, in 1997. Her subsequent features, Blackboards (2000) and At Five in the Afternoon (2003) received Jury Prizes at Cannes. She also contributed to the omnibus work 11’09’01 (2002).