8 Iranian Films That Inspired My Cinematic Journey

Iranian cinema has long been a wellspring of profound storytelling, blending poetic realism with landscapes of social complexity. From its early days in the silent era to the globally celebrated works of the New Wave, Iran’s filmmakers have used the camera to reflect both intimate human struggles and sweeping societal shifts. In this blog, I chart my personal journey through eight films that reshaped my understanding of narrative, empathy, and artistry. Each entry below includes a banner‑style image, a bit of context, and why it resonated so deeply with me.

And I’ll keep updating this list every time I watch something new and beautiful.

Why Iranian Cinema Matters

Iranian directors have repeatedly proven that constraints—cultural, political, or financial—can spark extraordinary creativity. Under strict censorship, filmmakers like Abbas Kiarostami and Dariush Mehrjui developed a minimalist style that focuses on character psychology and everyday miracles^1. Over the last two decades, Asghar Farhadi’s moral thrillers have shown how a single family dispute can open a window onto class divides and ethical dilemmas in contemporary Iran. These movies aren’t just “foreign films”; they’re mirrors in which we see our own hopes, fears, and contradictions reflected back. They’ve expanded my understanding of what cinema can achieve—both as art and as a catalyst for empathy.

1. A Separation (2011)

Directed by Asghar Farhadi, A Separation is a 2011 family drama that won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Oscars and swept the Golden and Silver Bears at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival winners list. At its heart, it’s the story of a husband and wife whose desire to separate over a sick parent and childcare spirals into legal battles and moral quandaries. The real magic lies in Farhadi’s refusal to cast anyone as purely villainous: every character’s choices feel painfully human. Watching Nader and Simin argue in their sparsely furnished home, I realized how everyday decisions can tip into tragedy—and how cinema can hold that tension in a single, unbroken shot.

2. Leila (1997)

Dariush Mehrjui’s Leila (1997) stars Leila Hatami as a woman grappling with infertility under the weight of traditional expectations. Mehrjui, one of the pioneers of Iran’s New Wave, explores how personal desire and family duty collide in middle‑class Tehran life^2. The film’s slow pacing allows emotions—and silences—to carry as much weight as dialogue. I still remember the scene where Leila sits alone at night, the distant city lights flickering through her window; it felt like a visual poem on loss and longing.

3. About Elly (2009)

In About Elly (2009), Farhadi assembles a group of middle‑class friends on a seaside vacation that turns tense when the titular teacher vanishes. Critics praise its taut storytelling and ensemble cast, and Farhadi won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 59th Berlin International Film Festival. The film dissected my assumptions about truth and responsibility: when each character tries to protect themselves, the aftermath feels horribly inevitable. Every time I watch that final shot of the empty beach, I’m reminded how quickly innocence can slip into chaos.

4. Children of Heaven (1997)

Majid Majidi’s Children of Heaven (1997) follows Ali and Zahra, siblings in dire poverty who share a single lost pair of shoes. It earned Iran its first Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film at the 71st Oscars. Majidi’s gift is turning simplicity into wonder: Ali’s race across dusty streets becomes a metaphor for childhood hope. When I first saw that final triumphal finish line, I felt unashamed tears—proof that the purest stories can be the most affecting.

5. The Color of Paradise (1999)

Another Majidi classic, The Color of Paradise (1999) stars a blind boy, Mohammad, whose father wrestles with shame over his disability. Praised for its “visually magnificent and wrenchingly moving” imagery on Rotten Tomatoes, the film uses nature as both setting and character. I remember Mohammad touching leaves under rain—he reads the world with his fingertips. That sequence opened my eyes to cinema’s tactile potential, making me wonder how much we take sight for granted.

6. The Salesman (2016)

Back to Farhadi: The Salesman (2016) entwines Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman with a modern Tehran couple recovering from assault. It won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Oscars and reaffirmed Farhadi’s moral complexity. Watching Emad and Rana rehearse lines while harboring trauma is unforgettable—Farhadi never handholds. The deliberate pacing and tight close‑ups kept me on edge, proving that theater and film can collide to devastating effect.

7. The Cow (1969)

Dariush Mehrjui’s The Cow (1969) is often credited with launching the Iranian New Wave. When a villager’s only cow dies, he slowly starts believing he is the animal—an allegory for identity and loss. Its surreal climax stunned critics and paved the way for Iranian art cinema^3. That bleak final scene stayed with me for days, illustrating how grief can fracture reality itself.

8. Through the Olive Trees (1994)

Abbas Kiarostami’s Through the Olive Trees (1994) closes his Koker trilogy with a meta‑narrative about filmmaking amid a post‑earthquake village. It debuted in the Directors’ Fortnight at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival and embodies Kiarostami’s minimalist lyricism. One long take through gnarled olive trunks taught me how patience and observation can become profound cinematic virtues.

Heads up

I’ll be adding more gems here as I keep exploring Iranian cinema. If you’re just starting out, I hope this list becomes a cozy little guide to help you discover something truly unforgettable.

Conclusion

Iranian cinema remains one of the richest wells of storytelling on the planet—its films are studies in resilience, moral conflict, and poetic vision. From Farhadi’s courtroom ethics to Majidi’s childlike wonder, from Mehrjui’s surreal heartbreak to Kiarostami’s meditative minimalism, these eight masterpieces have shaped not only my taste, but also my belief in cinema’s power to connect us across borders and experiences. Bookmark this post, return whenever you need inspiration, and let me know which films moved you most. The journey is far from over—and I can’t wait to share what comes next.