The president and his family run their country with an iron fist, enjoying a luxurious lifestyle while their subjects live in misery. The president, the latest from the exiled iranian filmmaker mohsen makhmalbaf, was shot in georgia and is set in an unnamed state. Makhmalbaf will return soon, especially judging from the response in iran to the gardener, apparently the first movie. The former teenage islamist militant began making films in his twenties, shortly after his release from prison during the 1979 iranian revolution. He has made more than 20 feature films, won some 50 awards and been a juror in more than 15 major film festivals. But filmmaker mohsen makhmalbaf wont stop asking tough questions.
Makhmalbaf s films have been widely presented in international film. Iranian writerdirector mohsen makhmalbaf plays with these issues extensively in his highly praised a moment of innocence nun va goldoon, meaning bread and the flower vase, 1996, which concerns a real event from makhmalbaf s own life 1. In mohsen makhmalbaf s political drama the president, the brutal dictator of an unnamed country the movie was shot mainly in the republic of georgia is deposed in a popular rebellion and goes on. What the film lacks in dialogue and or acting is overwhelmingly compensated for by way of masterful direction and an exceptionally keen eye behind the lens. The president directed by acclaimed international filmmaker mohsen makhmalbaf tells a timeless story of a dictator forced to come face to face with the countless people brutalized by his regime after his government is. The president 2014 cast and crew a brutal dictator comes face to face with the injustices committed by his regime when his country is taken over by revolutionists. One of the most popular and influential iranian filmmakers of his era, mohsen makhmalbaf was born in teheran on may 29, 1957. Watch the president 2014, mohsen makhmalbaf online.
It begins with the president misha gomiashvili in full military regalia, playing with his eightyearold grandson dachi orvelashvili, whos dressed like a minime dictator in a matching. The president is a georgian film cowritten and directed by by the iranian filmmaker mohsen makhmalbaf. To optimize your experience with your screen reading software, please use our website, which has the same tickets as our fandango. The president, a film by awarded iranian director mohsen. Director mohsen makhmalbaf is at his finest and weaves a story of regret over the abuse of power in masterful yet subtle strokes. Misha gorniashvili, dachi orvelashvili, guja burduli, ia sukhitashvili, zura begalishvili. For the full first half of this film, despite aggressive tonal shifts makhmalbaf achieves a delicate, but mostly effective stab at sheer horror and dark wit, that despite the. The president is really a brilliant movie and it indicates makhmalbaf s top level of directorship experience. Mohsen makhmalbaf mohsen makhmalbaf is an iranian director, writer, producer. Mikheil gomiashvili stars as his majesty the president. What an irony of truth is that iranian director makhmalbaf had to shoot the film in georgia and tajikistan because of conservative preventions of iranian governments. The best movies directed by mohsen makhmalbaf flickchart.
Even with a new president, it seems unlikely that mr. The iranian director mohsen makhmalbaf a moment of innocence, kandahar is not known for his kineticism, but the president which he has suggested is his comment on the arab spring has surprising urgency and sweep. An interview with mohsen makhmalbaf bright walldark room. One of the great figures of iranian cinema, mohsen makhmalbaf, presents his indirect. Although iranian filmmaker mohsen makhmalbaf says the president was inspired by the turbulent events of the arab spring, theres also a timeless quality to this absorbing and powerful fable that. The gardener, mohsen makhmalbafs inquiry into religion.
Like many refugees, his life has been full of danger. When a coup detat overthrows his brutal rule and the rest of his family flees the country by plane, the president is suddenly left to care for his young grandson and forced to escape. Maysam makhmalbaf mohsen makhmalbaf ririva eona mabi paula. Through a critical analysis of mohsen makhmalbaf s films, the book traces the development of irans national cinema both before and under the islamic republic. Yet the story has farreaching resonance and relevance. The president had its world premier at venice film festival in 2014, opening the festival together with birdman. In prison, he shared a cell with the ayatollahs brother, and then in 1979, when the shah was toppled, makhmalbaf was released and began to make films. In the films of makhmalbaf eric egan examines the close and volatile relationship between a highly popular art form and the politics of power in iranian society.
He is known as one of the most influential filmmakers and founders of the. Even from a distance makhmalbaf has mounted an essential films about the. The two travel across the lands that the president once governed. The inspiration for the film came when makhmalbaf visited the darul aman palace in kabul.
Many of his films like salam cinema, a moment of innocence, gabbeh, kandahar and the president. Mikheil gomiashvili and dachi orvelashvili in the president 2014 mikheil. Intense, unique, allegorical, and the actors are outstanding. The president 2014 stream and watch online moviefone. The other cowriter is his wife, marzieh makhmalbaf. M ohsen makhmalbaf has certainly led one of the more storied lives in cinema. The man who came with the snow mohsen makhmalbaf, marzieh makhmalbaf, 2009. The president by mohsen makhmalbaf trailer youtube. The president displays mohsen makhmalbaf s filmmaking skills in abundance but lacks the kind of cultural and political specificity that would assure its allegorys resonance. During 2007 he was the president of asian film academy. The president is a modern fable about power, reconciliation, and the hope for breaking a neverending circle of violence, exploring the possibility of stopping violence after a revolution in search of freedom and democracy. The president is a striking movie and a bold and challenging change of directorial pace from mohsen makhmalbaf. Director mohsen makhmalbaf understands this and wields the power of filmmaking like nobodys business.
Reviews and scores for movies involving mohsen makhmalbaf. Makhmalbaf s films have been widely presented in international film festivals in the past ten years. This film was one of two that opened the 2014 venice film festival. The president and his family rule their land with an iron fist, enjoying lives of luxury and leisure at the expense of their populations misery. The president tells the story of a dictator who comes face to face with the people he previously subjugated. An international production shot in georgia, it follows the president misha. T his weeks new york opening of mohsen makhmalbaf s the president corinth films premieres one of best iranian movies yet seen. We came for the narrative involving the journalist coming to the rescue of a loved one. The silence mohsen makhmalbaf 1998 writerdirector mohsen makhmalbaf s shifting artistic intentions have always attracted scrutiny. The brilliant child actor dachi orvelashvili stars as his grandson. Tracking down a streaming service to buy, rent, download, or watch the mohsen makhmalbaf directed movie via subscription can be. Fancy watching the president in the comfort of your own home.
In a fit of fundamentalist fervor, he was imprisoned at the age of 17 in prerevolutionary iran for stabbing a policeman. The president is a drama film directed by mohsen makhmalbaf, starring misha gomiashvili, two hours long and follows the fallout after a dictator is ousted from power. The president 2014, directed by mohsen makhmalbaf film. Within the first five minutes there is a coup and the president is overthrown. Mohsen makhmalbaf is known as one of the most influential filmmakers and founders of the new wave of iranian cinema in the world today. Mohsen makhmalbaf s marghe and her mother at busan and vancouver film festival 2019 mohsen makhmalbaf latest film marghe and her mother with its world premiere at the icon news. A documentary by mohsen makhmalbaf afghan alphabet film. The president raees jomhour imvbox, watch full movie free. Find films and movies featuring mohsen makhmalbaf on allmovie. As the words in english say at the beginning this film takes place in some country we learn quickly that the president is a dictator who lives in the palace with his daughter and soninlaw and their two young children.