Ongoing Smile

Ongoing Smile

A cinematic love letter to one of the world's most renowned festival gurus

2013 · 52 min · ★ 5.3 · Documentary

At the age of 74, many people retire themselves or go and spend the rest of their life in elderly’s house. But Kim Dong-Ho has made the decision to live like a young and energetic man until the end of his life. He gets up early around 4 am every morning. He does his exercise for an hour. Then he checks the news and respond to his emails. After that, he takes the bus to his work. He is currently working in a university of film and media, which he has launched himself two years ago. KIM is the same man whom established the largest Asian Film Festival when he was almost 60 years old. Now that he is 74 years old, he has just decided to make his first film as a director.

Directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf

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Justification

Justification · 1981

During the time of the Pahlavi Dynasty - the ruling House of Iran - the US President Richard Nixon is about to visit Tehran, but a violent armed opposing group intend to make their mark by planting a bomb in a public office in protest. However, in the middle of the terror plot a Muslim member of this group decides to confront his own peers on the nature of this act. An action-filled political treat that delves into themes of morality and protest.

A Moment of Innocence

A Moment of Innocence · 1997

A Moment of Innocence

MovieDramaComedy

A semi-autobiographical account of an incident in Makhmalbaf's life when, as a 17-year-old, he stabbed a policeman at a protest rally. Two decades later, he tracks down the policeman he injured in an attempt to make amends.

Osama

After the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan and the restriction of women in public life, a preteen girl is forced to masquerade as a boy in order to find work to support her mother and grandmother.

Sex & Philosophy

Sex & Philosophy · 2005

Sex & Philosophy

MovieRomanceDrama

In the midst of a mid-life crisis Jan, a 40 year old dancing teacher, decides to instigate a revolution against himself. His first act is to summon each of his four lovers, who are unaware of each other, to join him at the dance studio where we assume he is a tutor. His revelations to the women prompt a discourse about love and the fleeting nature of happiness. But when he comes to the fourth and final woman, he finds that his own philosophy of love is not as easy to apply as he had presumed. He realizes that the more the contemporary world has become sexually oriented the farther it has moved away from love...

Salaam Cinema

Salaam Cinema · 1995

MovieDocumentaryDrama

Makhmalbaf puts an advertisement in the papers calling for an open casting for his next movie. However when hundreds of people show up, he decides to make a movie about the casting and the screen tests of the would-be actors.

Gabbeh

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An elderly couple go about their routine of cleaning their gabbeh, while bickering gently with each other. Magically, a young woman appears, helping the two clean the rug. This young woman belongs to the clan whose history is depicted in the design of the gabbeh, and the rug recounts the story of the courtship of the young woman by a stranger from the clan.

The Cyclist

The Cyclist · 1989

The wife of Nasim, an Afghan immigrant in Iran, is gravely ill. He needs money to pay for her care, but his day labor digging wells does not pay enough. A friend connects Nasim to a two-bit promoter who sells tickets to watch Nasim ride a bicycle continuously for a week. The promoter brings in sick and aged spectators, haranguing them to find hope in Nasim's strength. Aided by his son, who feeds him as he rides, Nasim grinds out the days and shivering nights. Local officials believe this may be a plot and Nasim may be a spy; they try to sabotage him as do those who bet he won't finish the week. Will desperation alone get Nasim the money? Is any triumph an illusion?

The Peddler

The Peddler · 1987

MovieCrimeDrama

The movie consists of three episodes that explore the lives of poor and desperate in Iran. In episode one, a very poor couple with many crippled children abandon their newly born baby in hopes that it will have a better future. In the second episode, a mentally impaired and isolated young man tries to take care of his senile mother who is almost dead. In the third episode, a cowardly and desperate peddler tries to escape from his boss.

Joy of Madness

Joy of Madness · 2004

MovieDocumentary

Documentary showing the backstage of production of Samira Makhmalbaf's film Panj É Asr(At Five in the Afternoon), in Kabul, after the fall of the Taliban regime. Everything was recorded with a small digital camera by Samira's 14-year-old sister Hana.

Marriage of the Blessed

Marriage of the Blessed · 1989

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Haji is severely traumatized by the war with Iraq. Back from the front, he's unable to adapt to civilian life. Despite family opposition, his fiancée stands by him as together they challenge both the authority of family and state to lead their own lives.

September 11

September 11 · 2002

An anthology of short films inspired by the events of the September 11 World Trade Center attacks.

The Silence

The Silence · 1998

MovieDramaMusic

Khorshid, a blind child growing up in Tajikistan, is constantly distracted by music and sounds. This frequently causes him to be late to his job as an instrument tuner even though he runs the risk of being fired at a time when his family is in danger of being evicted from their house.

The Day I Became a Woman

The Day I Became a Woman · 2000

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MovieDramaComedy

A girl reaches the age of nine and is supposed to act as a grown woman according to her family. A girl participates in a bike race against the will of her husband. An elderly woman decides she wants to buy all the things she always wanted but could never get.

The Scout

The Scout · 1990

In Iran-Iraq's war, a young scout joins the front-line to help his comrades single-handed.

Scream of the Ants

Scream of the Ants · 2006

Scream of the Ants

MovieDramaAdventure

A girl believing in God marries an atheist, who is consumed by doubt. They decide to spend their honeymoon in India...

Rings

MovieHorrorMystery

The silence of this sleepy little town is soon disturbed when the residents begin to receive threatening phone calls. No one knows who is making them. The police fail to find any evidence leading to the anonymous offender. It seems the further they investigate, the less they know. Is it possible that the whole town is in danger? An intense and captivating horror that is filled with suspense.

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