My Journey Through Iranian Cinema: 8 Masterpieces That Shaped Me

Some films hit you like a quiet storm. You’re watching, immersed—and suddenly you realize your whole perspective shifted. That’s exactly what happened to me when I started watching Iranian films. This blog is a personal archive of the Iranian movies that have stayed with me long after the credits rolled.

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

Here are 8 Iranian masterpieces that changed something inside me:

1. A Separation (2011)

A Separation (2011)

Directed by Asghar Farhadi, A Separation is not just a movie—it’s an emotional earthquake. A married couple wants to divorce, but beneath that simple setup lies a tangled web of morality, class, family, and justice. It's raw, intelligent, and deeply human. No wonder it won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

2. Leila (1997)

Leila (1997)

Leila, by Dariush Mehrjui, is subtle, powerful, and heartbreaking. It follows a couple navigating infertility—and the creeping pressures of family tradition. The storytelling is so intimate it almost feels invasive. But that’s the beauty of it. It lingers.

3. About Elly (2009)

About Elly (2009)

Farhadi again—but this time with a thriller-like mystery wrapped in a vacation setting. About Elly starts with laughter and ends with silence. When Elly disappears during a seaside getaway, friendships unravel, lies surface, and trust breaks. The tension is unreal.

4. Children of Heaven (1997)

Leila (1997)

This is one of the most innocent and touching stories I’ve ever seen. A brother and sister share a single pair of shoes—and that’s it. That’s the plot. But Majid Majidi turns it into something magical. Children of Heaven was Iran’s first film nominated for an Oscar, and it absolutely deserved it.

5. The Color of Paradise (1999)

The Color of Paradise (1999)

Another Majidi masterpiece. This time, the story centers around a blind boy and his complicated relationship with his father. It’s spiritual, emotional, and visually poetic. The Color of Paradise shows how cinema can speak without needing to “say” much.

6. The Salesman (2016)

The Salesman (2016)

Back to Farhadi. The Salesman blends theatre and real-life trauma. A couple performing in Death of a Salesman is shaken by an assault. What follows is an unraveling of trust, revenge, and dignity. Farhadi never gives easy answers—and that’s what makes his films unforgettable.

7. The Cow (1969)

The Cow (1969)

This is where Iranian New Wave began. Mehrjui’s The Cow is haunting and surreal. A villager’s only cow dies, and he slowly begins to believe he is the cow. It’s a metaphor-heavy, slow-burn character study that paved the way for decades of thoughtful Iranian cinema.

8. Through the Olive Trees (1994)

Through the Olive Trees (1994)

This one’s special. Kiarostami’s Through the Olive Trees is quiet, minimal, and meditative. Set in a rural village after an earthquake, it explores the blurry line between acting and real life. There’s one scene—a single long take through the trees—that’s pure poetry. You’ll know it when you see it.

Final Thoughts

Iranian cinema isn’t just about storytelling—it's about human truth, raw emotion, and poetic resilience. These films made me pause, reflect, and sometimes cry silently without even realizing it. Whether it's Farhadi’s moral puzzles, Majidi’s childlike wonder, or Kiarostami’s quiet brilliance, each movie brought me closer to a part of the world I’ve never been to—but now feel deeply connected to.

Have a favorite I haven’t mentioned yet? Hit me up—I'd love to discover more.