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From poetic masterpieces to defiant acts of resistance, Iranian cinema has given the world some of its most profound storytelling. Join us as we celebrate the visionary filmmakers who reshaped Iranian cinema with their groundbreaking work! Our countdown includes Kiarostami's "Taste of Cherry," Farhadi's "A Separation," Panahi's "Taxi," and more!
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for visionary filmmakers whose
00:09work reshaped the landscape of Iranian cinema. For this list, we're considering films made by
00:15Iranian directors, whether filmed in Iran or not. Before we continue, if you liked this video and
00:23want more on Iran, its culture, history, art, and heritage, subscribe to our exclusive channel on
00:30Iran, Persia Mojo. Number 10. Daryush Mehrjui, The Cow. Kicking off our list is a giant of Iranian
00:40cinema. Daryush Mehrjui, who launched the country's new wave with the cow, a raw drama about a villager
00:47whose life unravels after his beloved cow dies. Adapted from Ghulam Hussain Saedi's story,
01:01the film follows Mashtasan, played by Ezzatullah Intizami, whose grief turns to delusion as he
01:08begins to believe he has become the animal himself.
01:17Merjui blends Italian neorealism with Persian surrealism to create a commentary on poverty,
01:30social anxiety, and fragile identity. The film's allegorical critique of modernization and rural
01:37hardship shocked authorities, leading to its initial ban. Smuggled to Venice, its stunned critics won awards
01:51and is credited with saving Iranian cinema. Today, the cow stands as a cornerstone of Iran's film heritage.
01:59Number 9. Anna Lily Amirpur, A girl walks home alone at night. Anna Lily Amirpur burst onto the global stage
02:11with this genre-bending sensation, often called the first Iranian vampire western.
02:17Blending Farsi dialogue with the style of American horror, westerns, and graphic novels, she crafts a
02:30haunting story about a mysterious skateboarding vampire who turns the tables on predatory men in a corrupt town.
02:37Her fearless outsider vision flipped Iranian and genre cinema on its head.
02:51I am Dracula.
02:51A girl walks home alone at night, took home nominations and prizes at festivals like Sundance,
03:07Deville, and Sitges, earned rave reviews for its bold visuals and soundtrack, and quickly achieved cult
03:14classic status, establishing Amirpur as one of the most original directors of her generation.
03:21Number 8. Vahid Jalilvand, No Date, No Signature Vahid Jalilvand's No Date, No Signature is a taut,
03:35morally charged drama that cemented his status as a vital new voice.
03:45A respected forensic pathologist strikes a motorcycle at night. The injured family refuses
03:51help. Days later, the father's child dies, and questions of guilt, responsibility, and class
03:58pressure tighten like a vice. Jalilvand builds suspense from quiet gestures and ethical dread,
04:04capturing how institutions and conscience can fail ordinary people.
04:09Ankhored by restrained, riveting performances and spare meticulous staging, the film's compassion
04:23never softens its bite.
04:30It's the work that defines Jalilvand, precise, unsentimental, and deeply humane, turning a small
04:37collision into a haunting inquiry about truth, power, and the price of looking away. And it lingers
04:44long after the credits.
04:47Number 7. Mohamed Rasulov, There is no evil. Few filmmakers risk more for their art than Mohamed
04:54Rasulov, a director who has faced official bans and imprisonment for his politically charged work.
05:00His entire career is a defiant act of resistance, relentlessly interrogating how authoritarian systems
05:12corrode individual conscience and moral choice.
05:20This theme finds its ultimate expression in his masterpiece, There is no evil, which won the
05:26prestigious Golden Bear at Berlin. A stunning act of artistic bravery, the film was shot entirely in secret.
05:41Rasulov masterfully weaves four stories that scrutinize the soul-crushing human cost of capital
05:48punishment, forcing characters and audiences alike to weigh the price of complicity against the perils of
05:56defiance. Number 6. Reza Mirkarimi, Castle of Dreams. Reza Mirkarimi is a master of Iranian family
06:08drama, celebrated for his deeply humanist, character-driven filmmaking.
06:13Ali-chan, why don't you come back? Why don't you come back? Why don't you come back?
06:21His subtle observational style focuses on the quiet complexities of relationships
06:26and moral choices. Mirkarimi masterfully explores themes of responsibility, loss and reconciliation,
06:33and this vision reached a powerful apex with his defining film Castle of Dreams.
06:39Mirkarimi, Castle of Dreams.
06:44Rather than just telling a story, Mirkarimi uses the film's narrative of a reluctant father
06:50reconnecting with his children to craft a profound emotional journey.
06:54Mirkarimi, Castle of Dreams.
07:12Mirkarimi, Castle of Dreams.
07:15Its international success, including Best Director at Shanghai, solidified his reputation as a premiere
07:22auteur whose quiet, powerful stories reveal universal human truths.
07:34Number 5. Samira Makhmalbaf. Blackboards. A prodigy of world cinema, Samira Makhmalbaf
07:42became one of the youngest directors to compete at Cannes, directing her debut, The Apple, at just
07:4817. She solidified her audacious reputation with blackboards, a poetic and surreal allegory where
07:56her signature style, blending harsh realism with dreamlike imagery, is on full display.
08:10The film follows itinerant teachers, carrying large blackboards on their backs through the
08:16war-torn Kurdish borderlands, a powerful metaphor for the struggle for knowledge amidst displacement
08:22and exile.
08:32Using non-professional actors to heighten authenticity, Makhmalbaf's bold humanist vision earned her the
08:39prestigious Jewelry Prize at Cannes, cementing her status as one of the most vital voices of her
08:45generation.
08:49Number 4. Majid Majidi. Children of Heaven. Majid Majidi's Children of Heaven is a beloved
08:55classic that introduced millions to the beauty and heart of Iranian cinema.
09:00Set in Tehran, the film follows young Ali and his sister Zehra as they secretly share a single
09:14pair of shoes after Ali loses hers.
09:23Their daily race to swap sneakers captures the innocence, dignity and resilience of childhood in the
09:29face of hardship. Majidi's neorealist touch and emotional storytelling transformed this simple
09:35premise into a poignant and suspenseful adventure about family, love and perseverance.
09:41The film's Oscar nomination for best foreign language film made history and its gentle warmth
10:03and humanity continue to resonate worldwide.
10:12Number 3. Jafar Panahi. Taxi. How do you make a film when you're banned from filmmaking
10:18and facing government persecution? If you're Jafar Panahi, you get behind the wheel of a cab,
10:24mount a camera to the dashboard and create a masterpiece.
10:28Driving through Tehran, Panahi picks up everyday Iranians whose stories, funny, raw and subtly critical,
10:38captured the realities of life under censorship.
10:41The teacher told us that we need to make a film in one another. We need to make a film in one another.
10:48I want to give you a film until you don't remember your words.
10:52Blending documentary and fiction, the film cleverly critiques social controls and celebrates resilience
11:07through small, unscripted moments.
11:09Do you ever see me there?
11:11Yes, it's always the same. It's the same thing.
11:16Taxi's courage and creativity were honored with the Golden Bear at Berlin,
11:20and in 2025, Panahi became only the second Iranian director to win the Palme d'Or at Cannes,
11:28underscoring his fearless artistry and global influence.
11:37Number 2. Asghar Farhadi. A Separation.
11:41Asghar Farhadi's A Separation is a landmark in world cinema that brought unprecedented
11:47international attention to Iranian film.
11:58The story follows a middle-class couple whose decision about leaving Iran triggers a chain of
12:03divorce, duty and accusation, eventually spiraling into a legal and ethical showdown. Farhadi's precise,
12:11naturalistic direction and layered script revealed the tensions between class,
12:16gender and truth in modern Iran.
12:26Widely celebrated by critics, A Separation made history as the first Iranian film to win the best
12:33foreign-language film Oscar. Its gripping realism and emotional complexity continue to set the
12:39standard for contemporary Iranian drama.
12:41Farhadi went on to win a second Oscar for The Salesman in 2016, joining a select group of filmmakers
12:54with multiple best foreign-language film awards.
13:03Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions that deserve recognition.
13:09Bahman Qobadi. A Time for Drunken Horses. Cannes Kameradur winner gave a voice to Iranian Kurds.
13:24Ali Abbasie. Holy Spider. Modern auteur whose intense film created controversy.
13:41Marjan Satrapi. Persepolis. Co-directed her animated graphic novel adaptation and won Cannes Jewelry Prize.
13:50In just two years' time, our daily lives had changed drastically. And so had we.
13:55Mohsen Makhmalbaf. A moment of innocence. Confronting his past won special recognition at Locarno.
14:10Ali Hatami. Mother. Poet of Iranian cinema's masterpiece is among Iran's most beloved films.
14:20Ali Hatami. I'm a fan of the film.
14:20Ali Hatami. Who is the best of the film?
14:28Number 1. Abbas Kiya Rostami. Taste of Cherry.
14:32No director is more synonymous with Iranian cinema's global ascent than Abbas Kiya Rostami,
14:39widely recognized for his poetic, philosophical approach to filmmaking.
14:43His minimalist style blurs the line between documentary and fiction,
14:52using simple premises to explore life's most profound questions.
14:56This approach reached its peak with his masterpiece, Taste of Cherry.
15:08The film follows a man driving through the hills outside Tehran,
15:12searching for someone willing to bury him after he takes his life.
15:17Through long, meditative takes, Kiarostami transforms this grim task
15:22into a powerful reflection on the simple beauties that affirm life,
15:27culminating in a legendary fourth-wall-breaking ending.
15:30It's historic Palme Doghwin at Cannes, a first for Iran,
15:44marked a turning point for Kiarostami's career and the global recognition of Iranian cinema.
15:50Think we missed a legendary director?
15:58Or do you have a favorite Iranian film that deserves the spotlight?
16:02Drop your picks in the comments below and tell us which movie changed the way you see cinema.
16:09All right.
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