A Moment of Innocence
Short description
Mohsen Makhmalbaf directs and appears as himself in this Iranian-French drama from 1997. Years after he attacked a policeman during a protest as a seventeen-year-old, the director sets out to find the man he wounded. The two meet again, and each is invited to take part in a film about that earlier day, with young actors cast to portray them as they once were. The encounter becomes a way for both men to revisit the past from their own side.
The screenplay is by Makhmalbaf himself, with Abolfazl Alagheband producing for MK2 Films, MK2 Productions and Pakhshiran. Mirhadi Tayebi plays the policeman, while Ali Bakhsi, Ammar Tafti, Maryam Mohamadamini and Moharram Zaynalzadeh fill out the cast. At seventy-eight minutes, the film blends comedy and drama. Its ratings are strong on both platforms: on IMDb it holds 7.7 from around 5,100 votes, and on TMDB 7.6 from a much smaller voter pool, pointing to a settled reputation among those who have sought it out.
What's left behind the scenes
- To produce this film, Makhmalbaf took a loan from government agencies. By refusing to cut uncensored scenes, he lost the opportunity for a preferential loan repayment; to settle his debt to the treasury, he was forced to sell his own home.
- Mirkhadi Tayebi (the actor playing the policeman) is the very same policeman whom Mohsen Makhmalbaf attacked in his youth.
- The film reflects real events. Mohsen Makhmalbaf spoke out against the Shah's regime in 1974 and was imprisoned. He was only released in 1979 in connection with the Islamic Revolution.
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