Iran Zendan (2010) User Reviews

an honor

[buzzlasting · 10/10 · 14 February 2011]

this is the film that started portraying the true face of Iran,s horrific Regime to the world.the man behind it all went through some incredible situations himself for having dared to have made an extraordinary film about political prisoners inside Iran,s prisons. he was kidnapped by agents loyal to the Iran,s regime, right after this movie was screened. it is unfortunate and sad to know now that all other Iranian directors had done in was only to show a facade and the world of films and festivals went along with that artificial world of films from Iran and about Iran for over 32 years by honoring these state backed directors and films while none ever showed the reality of all what disasters went on inside Iran for all this time. well, here is this episode of a bitter tale that shows us in a most daring raw manner what a movie could or should do when it comes to dealing with human lives. no arts, no abstraction, no symbolism, but showing what the raw,truth is all about. getting to the point and no hanky panky as usual. shokof goes right to the core of the matter and makes perhaps the most historic film ever about Iran,s present dark days and horrors that one can seriously would have to vomit sitting through the whole movie unless you are dedicated to see how it all ends? one is puzzled how shokof was kidnapped for having made the film and again freed not to ever release it and then see the film on the world net for free and the man is still alive and continues to slander this ultra inhumane Regime anytime he gets the chance to do so?! i watched this movie to the end and would have to admit that it finally opened my eyes to the truth about Islamic Republic of Iran which was hidden under pile of lies with participation of the whole world of festivals , movies, governments and............... for over 30 years. Iran Zendan is now stamped as the first film ever to have shown the brutality of a totalitarian Regime and brings shame to the faces of all those who went along with the regime (all over the world) and more so those who thereafter still tried to block it from any exhibitions in any festivals world wide. daryush shokof,s attempt and achievement is for me an eternal 10 not just for portrayal of Iran,s situation but that of the whole world,s political prisoners who all have the same fate. we all seem to have just ignored the facts and continue to insult great people on earth by still wanting dialog with such vicious animalistic Regimes. daryush shokof made it a global honor to release such a movie free of charge so that the whole world could see how it was made,why it was made and when should we all start doing all we can so such animal behaviors do not exist amongst human tribes any longer. i am honored to have lived long enough to have finally seen a movie that showed me we are still many who belong to the stone ages and the laws it used to have.

ahead of its time and necessary

[tileshar · 10/10 · 22 February 2011]

Iran zendan is now all over the nets to be seen free of charge.so i guess if it is clicked over 12 million times it proves enough people were interested to see what Iran is really like these days and how human beings are treated in the prisons of Iran under this barbaric regime of Islamic republic of Iran right this minute. i asked myself how on earth did we all just come to crown so many Iranian movies and directors in the past 30 years without even once questioning ourselves is Iran really all that great so that so many great directors could make so many great movies and so not to ever come to think of blaming this regime for the miserable reality of life in Iran. Iran zendan is the truest, bravest film ever from Iran and done by the most honest artist activist this land ever produced, and yet so raw and inartistic is the film that one has to just be feeling ashamed for not having seen it, done it and or thought of it to be done before and or by any other Iranian film makers. the film is breathtaking uncompromising and above all right on the dot with no time wasted on anything else than to show what a film as such is there to show and do to its viewers afterwords. i still feel ashamed i ever saw an Iranian film in the last 30 years and applauded the very system and government that endorsed the films to be made and for all the world festivals to award these films in treason against humanity with hands in the hands of the Iranian regime so that oil business could continue and culture could continue to prosper in the name of movies in Iran. a great achievement.

hard but real

[luispara42 · 10/10 · 15 February 2011]

this is the hardest film i ever saw, but it was a teaching process for all of us in the room for we finally understood there are other faces to Iran and what the unfortunate Iranians go through living under this beastly Regime. really hard to watch and on times just marvelous in how shokof gets to the point uncompromising. Iran Zendan is now a historic film about what we never saw about Iran in the last 30 years and proves a fact that perhaps he has been right all these years of accusing world festivals, governments and cultural events to have parted with the evil and got away with it as well. i for one had a terrible shame for not having been in touch with reality about Iran in over 32 years. a great important movie that is now a book on everybody,s shelf a 10 for all the courage

one flew over the cuckoo,s nest

[seriosalo · 10/10 · 14 March 2011]

the film is on the global net and is supposedly been clicked well over millions already and the Islamic Republic of Iran is still alive?! so far for all that effects a movie can have on Regimes and politics world wide? but one has dared to be real? one Iranian director dares to be honest ,simply sticking to the core matter and no fancying around with poetic force major to cheat the world viewers about what this evil Regime is all about. contrary to all those other Iranian directors in the last 30plus Iran regime,s festival business and award winning films Daryush Shokof finally shows us all what in the world is going on inside Iran ,s hellish prisons and gets a 10 from me eternally for having done so. he teaches the world culture that no critic is just to have awarded all Iranian films for what they had not done in the past 30 plus years the film is so right,strong,down to earth,grabbing and onto the point that it brought plain shame to my face to have ever had seen a film from Iran during this filthy Iranian Regime. i hope it does the same to you too and by the way back to the first sentence of my writing was, perhaps movies do not start or stop revolutions and or topple Regimes but hell this one shows you why they should or could i am sending my hat off high into the skies for daryush shokof and his greatest achievement so far in the name of making a movie that includes the whole world and not just Iranian prisoners the world should watch and learn and feel ashamed for having danced with such sick Regimes forever in the history of mankind.

this one started the truth

[alexandregoodarzy · 10/10 · 25 February 2011]

the film Iran Zendan started a first ever truth about Iran and all what happened and still happens in Iran prisons with political prisoners:no wonder this powerful film did not get into any festivals whereas all the soft spoken artistic self satisfying and state controlled movies done by other Iranian directors were polishing the image of cinema and culture in Iran under this inhumane regime. Mr.shokof is the one and only in my book of the most honorable;incredible individuals who dare to stand for justice no matter what. this movie should bring shame to the faces of the whole world were busy dealing and reeling with the Iranian regime from festivals to politics. an eternal 10

Che Guevara of films

[sonykoyu · 10/10 · 16 March 2011]

shokof is the Che of the filmmakers.this film serves the cause of humanity at a global level.no matter what you expect from a movie ,this one delivers 100% in the field of films where they want to bring a concept to the point. no funny business here, no compromising attitude, and certainly no fear whatsoever as daryush shokof makes a movie that deals with a world issue and not just what is happening to the political prisoners in Islamic republic regime of Iran. Iran Zendan goes down the film history as one courageous,and amazing dedication piece to show the reality of what we human beings do to one another for power,influence,domination,control over the rest of human beings and with what level of animosity that can only bring shame to the faces of all those who directly and or indirectly assisted, associated, worked,promoted, slept and lied for one of the most bitter and inhumane regimes on earth today thank you daryush shokof for being the Che Guevarra of film makers even though you have not just limited your activities to cinema. one must see film for global audience regardless of your interest,liking or even hating this very important movie piece.