When done well, the simplest of conflicts can create great drama. In Majid Majidi's CHILDREN OF HEAVEN, the drama is built around a pair of lost shoes. This sweet and moving film is about two children and can be enjoyed by children, as well as the entire family, despite being Persian. Any child that can read subtitles can discover the wonders of this Iranian film. All great art has the power to reach across cultural boundaries and connect us all. It doesn't contain wizards or superheroes, but is certainly contains magic.
Ali (Amir Farrokh Hashemian) is running errands. When he sets down his little sister's newly repaired shoes outside the vegetable market, a peddler accidentally picks the shoes up. When he tells his sister Zahra (Bahare Seddiqi) what has happened, she wonders how she will be able to go to school without shoes. With their mother (Fereshte Sarabandi) sick and their father (Mohammad Amir Naji) unable to pay the rent, Ali asks Zahra not to tattle, devising a plan where Zahra will go to school in the morning with his sneakers, run home right after, give him the shoes so he can run and make his midday classes. During the course of the story, the loving brother and sister will grow a closer bond over the many problems that a lost pair of shoes can cause.
While the children never get into life or death danger, there are real enough threats. Their father is a simple man whose financial condition often makes him angry. Ali fears a beating less than forcing his father to have to come up with money he doesn't have. Zahra is often embarrassed at school, wearing dirty boys shoes. Ali is a smart third grader who knows how to play adults for what he needs. This is not to describe him as devious, but very resourceful. The touching relationship between the two adorable siblings is nearly impossible not to be won over by.
Majidi is a filmmaker informed by a deep faith. His films radiate with common goodness without delving into maudlin dramatics. He is a great champion of the less fortunate; this film contains a subtle message about our consumer driven world. For a poor family, a lost pair of shoes or a broken bicycle can have devastating affects on a family's future. He doesn't patronize the struggle of his impoverished characters, working in a reminder that there is always someone that has it worse. As the only Iranian film to ever be nominated for an Oscar, this film deserves that honor.
Buy "Children of Heaven" Here!
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
