At Five in the Afternoon (2003)

Recommended

Iran/France

Feature Film

Original Title: پنجِ عصر

Director: Samira Makhmalbaf

Writers: Samira Makhmalbaf, Mohsen Makhmalbaf

Cinematographers: Ebrahim Ghafori, Samira Makhmalbaf

Composer: Mohammad Reza Darvishi

Cast: Agheleh Rezaie, Abdolgani Yousefrazi, Razi Mohebi, Marzieh Amiri

Despite some awkward performances from some of the supporting cast and some rather didactic, expository dialogue, Samira Makhmalbaf’s decidedly even-handed examination of post-Taliban Afghan life – taking both a celebratory and a commiseratory look at a rapidly changing society – is a very moving and human film, which is likely to challenge a few preconceived notions. Iain.Stott