Review: The Nights of Zayandeh-Rood (Iran) (1990)

This Iranian film (directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf) was heavily censored by the authorities when it was released in 1990, with about 37 minutes being excised. Barely released at all, it was buried without trace. Then last year it was smuggled out of the country and is being shown in its truncated form (65 minutes) at some selected cinemas and film festivals around the world. It may not be a great film, but it’s certainly an important film for anyone who cares about free speech. And I can see why it was censored. It is set in 1979, before, during and after the Revolution. The main character is an academic who is highly critical of all authority. But perhaps it is most radical for the way it shows people behaving in very human ways, with an underlying message that the love between people transcends any transient political structures. And maybe that is the biggest threat of all……

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