Story of movie This Is Not A Film : This Is Not a Film (Persian: In film nist - ??? ???? ?????) is an Iranian documentary film by Jafar Panahi and Mojtaba Mirtahmasb. It was released on 28 September 2011 in France, distributed by Kanibal Films Distribution.
| This Is Not a Film | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jafar Panahi Mojtaba Mirtahmasb |
| Produced by | Jafar Panahi |
| Starring | Jafar Panahi Mojtaba Mirtahmasb |
| Cinematography | Jafar Panahi Mojtaba Mirtahmasb |
| Edited by | Jafar Panahi |
| Distributed by | Kanibal Films Distribution (France) |
Release date |
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Running time | 76 minutes |
| Country | Iran |
| Language | Persian |
The film was smuggled from Iran to Cannes on a flash drive hidden inside a birthday cake. It was specially screened at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and later at the New York Film Festival, and others. It also took part in the International Competition of the 27th Warsaw International Film Festival.
Screenplay
Partly shot on an iPhone, this documentary depicts the day-to-day life of the banned director himself while under house arrest in his apartment talking to his family and lawyer (latter trying to appeal his six-year sentence) plus reflecting on the meaning of filmmaking itself.
Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives a score of 98% based on reviews from 88 critics, with an average rating of 8.9/10, and the site's consensus is: "Through simple means and filming, This is Not a Film presents a vital political statement and a snapshot of life in Iran as enemy of the state." Metacritic rated it 90/100 based on 27 reviews.
Sight & Sound film magazine listed it as number eight on its list of the best film of 2012. Calling This Is Not A Film one of the top 10 movies of 2012, critic Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post said the film "uses Brechtian staging, blurred lines between documentary and drama, and an iPhone to explore the notion of physical and political boundaries, the aesthetic and technological contours of cinema, and the enduring power of self-expression." Critic A. O. Scott of The New York Times rated This Is Not a Film the fourth best documentary of 2012. He called the film a "brave and witty video diary, an essay on the struggle between political tyranny and the creative imagination." Peter Debruge of Variety called the film "a courageous act of non-violent protest." Deborah Young of The Hollywood Reporter called it "an unusual documentary" that finds a creative solution to Panahi's ban on filmmaking. Jacques Mandelbaum of Le Monde wrote that the film shows audiences Panahi's courage and dignity. In December 2012, it was shortlisted as one of 15 films eligible for Best Documentary Feature at the 85th Academy Awards.
