Cinema Rex - Iranian Cinema Podcast

In Afghanistan, a young girl embarks on a journey to learn to read and write, only to be met with a series of obstacles including financial strain, a series of quests and a local gang of bullies pretending to be the Taliban. Directed by Hana Makhmalbaf

A drama about corruption and injustice in Iranian society. You are the oppressed, or you have to join the oppressor to survive. Written and Directed by Mohammad Rasoulof

Haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, a university professor coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance. Written and Directed by Alireza Khatami

When an old couple washes their gabbeh rug - a young woman magically appears and tells them her life story. Written and Directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf

When a large Iranian-American family gathers, a family secret is uncovered that catapults the estranged mother and daughter into an exploration of the past, and to discover they are more alike than they know. Written and Directed by Maryam Keshavarz

An Eastern European tourist unexpectedly finds himself stranded at JFK airport and must take up temporary residence there. Directed by Steven Spielberg

An unassuming mechanic is reminded of his time in an Iranian prison when he encounters a man he suspects to be his sadistic jailhouse captor. Panicked, he rounds up a few of his fellow ex-prisoners to confirm the man's identity. Directed by Jafar Panahi

A young widow returning to her village inherits an ancient sword no one will claim - until a warrior from the past arrives to retrieve it, only to fall in love with her instead. Written and Directed by Bahram Beyzaie

When an impoverished boy loses his sister shoes, the siblings are forced to secretly share his only pair, racing back and forth against school suspensions, and the discipline of their unforgiving father at home.   Directed by Majid Majidi

When Abdollah imbues a scarecrow with the likeness of a man, one by one the townspeople succumb to madness, as rumours swirl that it might actually be possessed. Directed by Bahman Farmanara

AKA, Anxiety (1976) is the story of an ex-con who's trying to make up for lost time with his wife and child, only for this new life of peace to be threatened by a racket of deceit and blackmail. We also discuss the phenomenon of the "Film Farsi" genre in more detail with special guest, Sina Dolati of Rangarang! Directed by Samuel Khachikian

An Iranian couple living in the US become trapped inside a hotel when insidious events force them to face the secrets that have come between them, in a night that never ends. Directed by Kourosh Ahari

Investigating reports of demonic possessions in a remote village, a skeptical military officer finds his beliefs tested by an enigmatic exorcist. Directed by Arsalan Amiri This film is available to watch on YouTube

Banned from making movies by the Iranian government, Jafar Panahi poses as a taxi driver and makes a movie about social challenges in Iran. Written and Directed by Jafar Panahi This film is available to view on Hoopla, or rent/own from Apple TV

A government tax auditor’s failing marriage unravels as his moral compromises at work mirror the growing alienation and mistrust in his home.   Written and Directed by Abbas Kiarostami This film is available to view on the Criterion Channel

In the wake of the Iranian Revolution, a prosperous Jewish family abandons everything before they are consumed by the passions of revolutionaries. Directed by Wayne Blair This film is available digitally in the USA from Fandango and in Canada through Plex and PlutoTV free with ads.

The honour Shahin and Shakoor, two brothers leading a powerful gang in the underbelly of Tehran, is brought into question when a video of their sister leaks, threatening to unravel not just their gang but their own family. Written and Directed by Houman Seyyedi This film is available to view on YouTube

In an attempt to raise money for his sick wife's medical care, an Afghan refugee partakes in a grueling exhibition where he must bike, non-stop for seven days and seven nights - battling hunger, exhaustion and enemies who stand to gain from his loss. Written and Directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf. This film is available to view on YouTube.  

Law of Tehran aka Just 6.5 aka Metri Shish o Neem tells the story of Samad (Payman Maadi) a narcotics detective in pursuit of a shadow drug kingpin Naser Khakzad (Navid Mohammadzadeh). One day a raid leads to capturing a low level dealer who leads to a bigger fish, who is somehow connected to the notorious drug lord. This film is available on Youtube. 

A precocious and outspoken Iranian girl grows up during the Islamic Revolution. Written & Directed by Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud

Two inept and unlucky blind men attempt a jewelry store robbery, setting off a chain of absurd, interwoven misadventures in a dryly comic tale about chance, failure, and the invisible threads between people.   Written & Directed by Shahram Mokri

After days of observing a mysterious man loitering outside her home, a young woman attempts to win this stranger's heart. Written and Directed by Parviz Sayyad

While Ranaa and Emad, a married couple, are participating in a production of "Death of a Salesman," she is assaulted in their new home, which leaves him determined to find the perpetrator over his wife's traumatized objections. Written and Directed by Asghar Farhadi.

After Hashem finds an abandoned baby in the backseat of his taxi, he and his girlfriend, Taji, must decide the fate of this child. Written and Directed by Ebrahim Golestan

A hypnotically stylized murder mystery awash in period atmosphere, unfolds inside a candlelit mansion, where a web of greed, violence, and betrayal ensnares potential heirs as they vie for control of their matriarch’s estate.   Directed by Mohammad Reza Aslani

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. Directed by Ben Affleck This film is available on Prime Video and Crave

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.   Directed by Kamal Tabrizi

Hamoon's wife is leaving him. He is also unsuccessfully trying to finish his Ph. D. thesis. He is forced to reexamine his life. In a series of flashbacks and dreams, Hamoon tries to figure out what he did wrong. Written and Directed by Dariush Mehrjui.

Samad and the other villagers attend school so that they can learn to read, when a gang of drug smugglers infiltrate their class resulting in a hilarious slapstick confrontation between the villagers and the gangsters.   This movie is available on YouTube. Directed by Parviz Sayyad. 

Seventy-year-old Mahin, solitary until now, chooses to revive her love life. A chance encounter becomes an unforgettable evening. Directed by Maryam Moghadam & Behtash Sanaeeha

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of film, Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf advertises an open casting for his next movie. However when hundreds of people show up, he decides to make a movie about the casting of these would-be actors. Directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf. This film is available for rental on Vimeo.

Our first short films special where we dive into films by Pegah Ahangarani, Kaveh Mazaheri, Tara Aghdashloo & Jasmin Mozaffari. This episode also includes special interviews with Jasmin Mozaffari and Arian Moayed.

Investigating judge Iman grapples with paranoia amid political unrest in Tehran. When his gun vanishes, he suspects his wife and daughters, imposing draconian measures in an attempt to uncover the truth. Spoilers from 00:33:46 - 01:17:11

A young filmmaker delves into her mother and grandmother's complicated pasts, and her own fractured Iranian identity. This episode also features interviews with the Director of the film, Sierra Urich, and Executive Producer Arian Moayed. 

A visual social examination in the form of ten conversations between a driving woman and her various pick-ups and hitchhikers. A film by Mania Akbari and Abbas Kiarostami.

After losing her house due to a taxing error, reformed addict Kathy Nicolo begins to harass the new owners of the house - Iranian immigrant Massoud Amir Behrani, along with his wife and son. Based on the novel by Andre Dubus III. Directed by Vadim Perelman This film is available for digital purchase and rental.

In the Iranian ghost-town Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness, the townspeople are unaware they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire. Directed by Ana Lily Amirpour. This film is available for digital rental and purchase in the U.S, U.K. and Canada.

Our first Halloween Special! As a mother and daughter struggle to cope with the terrors of the post-revolution, war-torn Tehran of the 1980s, a mysterious evil begins to haunt their home. Directed by Babak Anvari. This movie can be found on Netflix in most territories.

A boat drifts onto the shore of a small village, which the beautiful Rana hopes the has brought back her husband, who disappeared a year ago out on the sea. But the only passenger is Ayat, a wounded stranger with no memory of how he ended up in this land. After gradually proving himself as a member of the community, Ayat  grows increasingly paranoid about wraiths from a forgotten past.   Directed by Bahram Beyzaie

When he takes a job as a schoolteacher in a new neighborhood, the hapless intellectual Mr. Hekmati finds that he is a fish out of water. Directed by Bahram Beyzaie

In a building site in present-day Tehran, Lateef, a 17-year-old Azeri worker is irresistibly drawn to Rahmat, a young Afghan worker. The revelation of Rahmat's secret changes both of their lives. Directed by Majid Majidi.

Leila, who has spent her entire life caring for her family, hatches a plan to help her struggling brothers - but she might have to cross her parents to do it. Directed by Saeed Roustayi. This movie can be found in select local cinemas.

A blind woman's daughter befriends a famous singer who decides to help them in life, but unbeknownst to either party, is how they're all truly connected... Directed by Mohamad Ali Fardin. This movie can be found on DVD through Pars Video, and on YouTube.

The four stories that are variations on the crucial themes of moral strength and the death penalty that ask to what extent individual freedom can be expressed under a despotic regime and its seemingly inescapable threats. Directed by Mohammad Rasoulof. This movie can be found on Apple TV in the USA.

The struggle of women in a country that excludes them from entering stadiums. This episode also features an interview with Morvarid Sadinejad Directed by Jafar Panahi. This movie can be found on Apple TV in Canada, as well as Prime and Apple TV in the USA.

An American woman trapped in Islamic Iran by her brutal husband must find a way for her and her daughter to escape. This film is available to view on Prime Video.

An Iranian boy is lost after fleeing home for his life; his family has been killed during the Iran-Iraq war. He's saved and trained by a middle-aged woman. This episode also features an interview with Alex Eskandarkhah with the Collective for Black Iranians.   Directed by Bahram Beyzaie. This movie can be found on YouTube. 

An Iranian man drives his car in search of someone who will quietly bury him under a cherry tree after he takes his own life. Directed by Abbas Kiarostami   This film is available through the Criterion Channel

Follows a chaotic, tender family that is on a road trip across a rugged landscape and fussing over the sick dog and getting on each others' nerves. Only the mysterious older brother is quiet. Directed by Panah Panahi.   This film is available through Prime Video in Canada, Pramount+, Apple TV+ and Showtime in the USA, and Channel 4 in the UK.

Set in a leper colony in the north of Iran, The House is Black juxtaposes "ugliness", of which there is much in the world as stated in the opening scenes, with spirituality and gratitude. Directed by Forough Farrokhzad. This film is available through the Criterion Channel.