Blackboards (2000)

Blackboards (2000) poster

Itinerant Kurdish teachers, carrying blackboards on their backs, look for students in the hills and villages of Iran, near the Iraqi border during the Iran-Iraq war. Said falls in with a group of old men looking for their bombed-out village; he offers to guide them, and takes as his wife Halaleh, the clan's lone woman, a widow with a young son. Reeboir attaches himself to a dozen pre-teen boys weighed down by contraband they carry across the border; they're mules, always on the move. Said and Reeboir try to teach as their potential students keep walking. Danger is close; armed soldiers patrol the skies, the roads, and the border. Is there a role for a teacher? Is there hope?

Director: Samira Makhmalbaf
Genre: Drama, History, War
Runtime: 85 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Music: Mohammad Reza Darvishi
Editing: Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Production: Fabrica, Makhmalbaf Film House Productions, RAI Cinema, T-Mark
Country: Iran, Italy, Japan
Language: Kurdish, فارسی
Original Language: fa

Themes

Crushing Despair and the Void, A Weary Soul and Exhaustion, Daily Struggles of the Working Class, Poverty Cycle and Hopelessness, Great Depression: Struggle and Survival

Keywords

society, teacher, poverty, blackboard, woman director, kurd, iran-iraq war

Trailer

Blackboards Trailer

Similar Movies

More Films by Director: Samira Makhmalbaf
More Films in Genre: Drama, History, War

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Blackboards about?
Itinerant Kurdish teachers, carrying blackboards on their backs, look for students in the hills and villages of Iran, near the Iraqi border during the Iran-Iraq war. Said falls in with a group of old men looking for their bombed-out village; he offers to guide them, and takes as his wife Halaleh, the clan's lone woman, a widow with a young son. Reeboir attaches himself to a dozen pre-teen boys weighed down by contraband they carry across the border; they're mules, always on the move. Said and Reeboir try to teach as their potential students keep walking. Danger is close; armed soldiers patrol the skies, the roads, and the border. Is there a role for a teacher? Is there hope?
Who directed Blackboards?
Blackboards was directed by Samira Makhmalbaf.
Who stars in Blackboards?
Blackboards stars Said Mohamadi, Behnaz Jafari, Bahman Ghobadi, Mohamad Karim Rahmati, Rafat Moradi, Mayas Rostami.
How long is Blackboards?
Blackboards has a runtime of 1h 25m (85 minutes).
What genre is Blackboards?
Blackboards is a Drama, History, War film.
Where was Blackboards produced?
Blackboards was produced in Iran, Italy, Japan.
What are the themes of Blackboards?
The themes of Blackboards include: Crushing Despair and the Void, A Weary Soul and Exhaustion, Daily Struggles of the Working Class, Poverty Cycle and Hopelessness, Great Depression: Struggle and Survival.