I hope I get to see it. Iranian filmmakers seem to have a special tenderness in dealing with boy themes.  From the films I've seen so far, anyway.

"It is similar to other Iranian films in style and pacing, but the technical aspects of the film are noticably weaker."

That's debatable. If to you lower budget means weaker, then yeah, ok. Otherwise, I'd say his films are much stronger than any of the recently successful Iranian films.

But as far as I'm concerned, Kiarostami is the best and most interesting Iranian filmmaker working today. The difference is that he is completely independant. In fact, his films are not even shown in Iran, because they don't get the approval of the government. (This one may have been shown, but I know recent ones weren't.)

Yeah, ok. I see what you mean.

I just don't like the term "weaker" because it sounds like a negative criticism. As if Kiarostami was not as strong a filmmaker as others when it comes to technical aspects. I think the decision to make very personal films with a small crew and low budget is an artistic choice for Kiarostami. It has nothing to do with talent. And when something is qualified as "weak" it makes it sound like it's a lack of talent that's responsible, not an aesthetic decition.

But if you just want to say that the production values in those other films are superior, then of course I can't argue with you. It goes without saying, almost. These filmmakers are getting financing and support from the Iranian government, and their films are made with a much bigger budget. They are geared towards the international (meaning American) market and submitted as official candidates in the Oscar run. Kiarostami is an underdog compared to them. He makes his films his own way and on his own terms, with his own money, and he shows them in festivals around the world, but not in his own country.

That is not necessarily to say that he is better than the others. That might be a question of taste. But he's a filmmaker for whom I have a lot of respect.

I've put the pics in a gallery:



..and instead of just deleting the thread I've moved it over here to the Reviews Forum.