Film Forum

Iran, 1995
Directed by Jafar Panahi
Written by Abbas Kiarostami
Starring Aida Mohammadkhani
In Farsi with English subtitles
Approx. 85 min. 35mm.

6-year-old Aida Mohammadkhani (in “one of the best child performances of recent decades” (The Guardian) set out to purchase a goldfish for the Iranian New Year, but her simple quest turns into an odyssey when she loses her money along the way. Winner of the Camera d’Or at Cannes.
 

Reviews

“Tethering the movie to the child's point of view (both literal and metaphorical), Panahi absorbs us so entirely into his heroine's delicate, enquiring world, that the loss of her money and her separation from her brother create an atmosphere of suspense as gripping as that of any Hitchcock thriller.”
– Time Out

“Gripping and charming, with well-sketched characters and expert storytelling—and Panahi’s efforts to redefine our sense of time along the way are remarkable. A MASTERPIECE, one that grows in impact and subtlety over repeated viewings.”
– Jonathan Rosenbaum, The Chicago Reader

“One of the best child performances of recent decades from Aida Mohammadkhani.”
– Xan Brooks, The Guardian

“A tiny, improbably charming Iranian film directed with lovely precision by Jafar Panahi.”
– Janet Maslin, The New York Times