Montreal -- Iranian director Majid Majidi, whose Oscar-nominated "Children of Heaven" was an art house hit, has produced an even better follow-up with this infinitely moving tale of a blind 8-year-old and his troubled relationship with his father.
"The Colour of Paradise" (previously "The Colour of God") continues a procession of beautiful, simple Iranian films, many dealing with children, that recall the best efforts of the neo-realism movement. The deserving winner of the Grand Prix of the Americas at this year's Montreal World Film Festival (Majidi won the same award for his previous effort), "Paradise" is a shoo-in for commercial distribution and future honors.
Beautifully photographed, "Paradise" centers on Mohammad Mohsen Ramezani), a student at a school for the blind in Tehran. When the story begins, the school year has just ended and Mohammad waits with increasing desperation for his father (Hossein Mahjub), who is late to pick him up. We are introduced to the boy's essential goodness immediately; he rescues a baby bird from the clutches of a cat and, despite his lack of vision, climbs a tree to gently place it back in its nest. Mohammad's ability to commune with his environment is emphasized throughout the film, which contains many gorgeous shots displaying the natural beauty of the Iranian countryside.
When his father finally arrives, he tries to have the school keep Mohammad and only reluctantly takes him back. The pair journeys to the family farm, where Mohammad is reunited with his beloved grandmother and sisters. His widowed father, who rails against the fates for his wife's death and his son's handicap, attempts without success to court a young village woman. Mohammad's father eventually learns to realize the value of his son in his life, but only after a tragedy occurs.
Majidi, who wrote the screenplay, has a wonderfully lyrical touch and has crafted the characters and scenario with endless reserves of insight and empathy. Mohammad, played by newcomer Ramezani, will warm audience's hearts with his courage, resourcefulness and enthusiasm for life; the scene in which he dazzles fellow classmates with his talent for Braille had the Montreal audience laughing with delight. The filmmaker doesn't resort to making the father's character a stock villain but rather makes clear the pain and despair that have hardened his soul.
The final sequence, containing mystical overtones, provides a heartrending conclusion to the touching tale.
THE COLOUR OF PARADISE
Director-screenwriter: Majid Majidi
Producers: Ali Kalij, Mehdi Karimi, Varahonar Co.
Photography: Mohammad Davudi
Editor: Hassan Hassandoost
Music: Keyvan Jahanshahi
Color/stereo
Cast:
Father: Hossein Mahjub
Mohammad: Mohsen Ramezani
Also: Salime Feizi, Elham Sharifi, Farahnaz Safari
Running time -- 88 minutes
No MPAA rating...
"The Colour of Paradise" (previously "The Colour of God") continues a procession of beautiful, simple Iranian films, many dealing with children, that recall the best efforts of the neo-realism movement. The deserving winner of the Grand Prix of the Americas at this year's Montreal World Film Festival (Majidi won the same award for his previous effort), "Paradise" is a shoo-in for commercial distribution and future honors.
Beautifully photographed, "Paradise" centers on Mohammad Mohsen Ramezani), a student at a school for the blind in Tehran. When the story begins, the school year has just ended and Mohammad waits with increasing desperation for his father (Hossein Mahjub), who is late to pick him up. We are introduced to the boy's essential goodness immediately; he rescues a baby bird from the clutches of a cat and, despite his lack of vision, climbs a tree to gently place it back in its nest. Mohammad's ability to commune with his environment is emphasized throughout the film, which contains many gorgeous shots displaying the natural beauty of the Iranian countryside.
When his father finally arrives, he tries to have the school keep Mohammad and only reluctantly takes him back. The pair journeys to the family farm, where Mohammad is reunited with his beloved grandmother and sisters. His widowed father, who rails against the fates for his wife's death and his son's handicap, attempts without success to court a young village woman. Mohammad's father eventually learns to realize the value of his son in his life, but only after a tragedy occurs.
Majidi, who wrote the screenplay, has a wonderfully lyrical touch and has crafted the characters and scenario with endless reserves of insight and empathy. Mohammad, played by newcomer Ramezani, will warm audience's hearts with his courage, resourcefulness and enthusiasm for life; the scene in which he dazzles fellow classmates with his talent for Braille had the Montreal audience laughing with delight. The filmmaker doesn't resort to making the father's character a stock villain but rather makes clear the pain and despair that have hardened his soul.
The final sequence, containing mystical overtones, provides a heartrending conclusion to the touching tale.
THE COLOUR OF PARADISE
Director-screenwriter: Majid Majidi
Producers: Ali Kalij, Mehdi Karimi, Varahonar Co.
Photography: Mohammad Davudi
Editor: Hassan Hassandoost
Music: Keyvan Jahanshahi
Color/stereo
Cast:
Father: Hossein Mahjub
Mohammad: Mohsen Ramezani
Also: Salime Feizi, Elham Sharifi, Farahnaz Safari
Running time -- 88 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 7/20/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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