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Oct 23rd - 1 Min Read

Representation of Low-Income Households in Iranian Cinema

By: Birhat Atrushi

In terms of the cinematic experience around the globe, the most prominent ones have always looked at Hollywood for genuine inspiration. Apart from the high-end production capabilities of the massive companies which produce many films in such a small plot of land, Middle East has always had its fair share of turning on lenses to recreate social and political moments that capture an audience.


Middle East has had a very long and historical past with filmmaking. From Egyptian landmarks like Cairo Station to the Iranian new wave that shaped the perfect craft for so many films.


Filmmakers like Abbas Kiarostami and Majid Majidi manage to produce films directed to showcase the affairs of the lower strata in Iran even after the events of the Iranian revolution.


Children of Heaven, a film by Majidi, speaks of the story of two siblings who live in a lower-income family and face multiple situations. It is indicated throughout the film that due to the class-conflicting divide within the lower and upper strata, chances are that children who grow up in communities bound to face economic frustration will develop hyper-mutual and inter-personal connections with family members transcending efforts to accumulate money.


The cinematic style of many Iranian films is infested with this political message to use the medium as a self-sufficient tool to describe the political situation in various countries in the Middle East.