Offside
Dvd release date: 08/28/2007
Starring: Sima Mobarak Shahi, Safar Samandar
Director: Jafar Panahi
Category: Foreign
Rated: PG
In Iran, women are banned from men’s sporting events. In June of 2005, Iran defeated Bahrain to qualify for the World Cup. From the director of “The Circle” and “Crimson Gold” comes a smart comedy illustrating the fight for women’s rights in Iran. Who is that strange boy sitting quietly in the corner of a bus full of screaming fans going to the football match? In fact, this shy boy is a girl in disguise. She is not alone, women also love football in Iran. Before the game begins, she is arrested at the check point and put into a holding pen just by the stadium with a band of other women all dressed up as men. They will be handed over to the vice squad after the match. But before this, they will be tortured! They must endure every cheer, every shout of a game they cannot see. Worse yet, they must listen to the play-by-play account of a soldier who knows nothing about football. Yet, these young girls just won’t give up. They use every trick in the book to see the match. (Publisher)
Summary of critic ratings:
Chicago Tribune: **** (out of four)
New York Post: *** (out of four)
Overall: ***1/2 (out of four)
Tags: foreign, offside dvd