SYNOPSICS
Frontier Blues (2009) is a Persian,Turkmen movie. Babak Jalali has directed this movie. Khajeh Araz Dordi,Mahmoud Kalteh,Abolfazl Karimi,Karima McAdams are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2009. Frontier Blues (2009) is considered one of the best Drama movie in India and around the world.
In this debut feature written and directed by Iranian born Babak Jalali, Frontier Blues features 4 intertwined stories all set in Irans northern frontier with Turkmenistan, a region that has long been neglected in Iranian cinema, interesting not only for its magnificent, forlorn landscape but also for its multi-ethnic population of Persians, Turkmens and Kazakhs. Featuring non-professional actors from the northern region of Iran, Jalalis film looks at fragments of the everyday existence of a varied collection of characters from the region.
Frontier Blues (2009) Trailers
Same Director
Frontier Blues (2009) Reviews
Poetic and hypnotic
I saw this film at the Edinburgh Film Festival this year. I am a frequent visitor to the festival and as usual I watched my fair share of films this year. This little gem from Iran stood out above all others I saw. The film takes place in the director's hometown. An area which I was not at all familiar with. Moving along at a calm pace, it lets you take in all the little details and intricacies of the breathtaking frames and leaves you in an atmospheric wonderland. I won't say anything about plots and story lines because in a way it is unnecessary for this type of film. It's released in the UK on 30th July so go see for yourself and realise that magic and mystery still exist in cinema.
plain, simple and honest
In remote Gorgan (Iran's northern border with Turkmenistan), the film tells us the story of 4 men, of whom, 3 have dreams of girls/women/marriage/reunion. It portrays a society where women fled frequently from their families for richer men, and where men feel they are the authority of their families and they are responsible for the younger ones, e.g. letting the donkey go. Here, men cling on to their dreams - keeping the donkey as a pet; ringing other people up randomly to speak to girls; choosing only one size / design per piece of clothing for his shop; learning English so as to relocate to a place with better living standards; not wishing to speak or play his musical instrument but when stirred up, vents his frustration profusely. Here, weddings and funerals seldom occur: it is uneventful. Yet, outsiders want to capture images not of how the place is really like, but of what they perceive of this place - nomadic, pastoral, rustic, etc. But they will never be able to seize that most natural and authentic side of these people.
Graceful and ethereal. Quite unlike anything else I've seen
I saw this film at the San Francisco International Film Festival where it won the prestigious FIPRESCI award. The director was there to speak about the film. I've seen my fair share of Iranian films and although generally impressed by the standards, I'd grown somewhat weary and tired of the stylistic similarities displayed by them. Then along came this little gem. I'd like to say out of nowhere. But evidently it has been shown in quite a few places. It stands out from not only other offerings from Iran, but also from pretty much anything else I've seen in a long time. The mixture of humor and sorrow blends effortlessly to provide an atmosphere that allows you to experience a wistful 90 minutes filled with oddities and beauty. Some may find it taxing, but if you let it, it will blow you away.
New Iranian Cinema
I saw this film at two different festivals and each time I left thinking that Iranian cinema is in safe hands! Although perhaps I shouldn't even limit this film in to a sub category such as Iranian cinema because this film does not resemble much of what I've seen of Iranian cinema. But I still feel that after a disappointing few years, directors like Babak Jalali could well be about to give films from that region a much needed lift. Frontier Blues takes place in a remote part of Northern Iran where Turkmen and Persians live side by side. This film is about the lives lived on that region by a group of men waiting to go places. It's a very atmospheric and confident piece of work and does not rely on any cinematic conventions to tell it's tales. Highly recommended and I hope to be able to see it again.
See this Film!
I saw this film at Locarno last year. It's an interesting film and a definite departure from the standard Iranian art-house fare which is refreshing. It's beautifully shot and the melange of humour and melancholy works well. First time director Babak Jalali offers us a look into the world of his native hometown in northern Iran on the border of Turkmenistan, which we would never have seen otherwise. It's a meditative, stylistic portrait of 4 men getting on with their lives, with nowhere to go and not much to look forward to. It does not fall into the trap of clichéd looks at the Middle East and manages instead to provide a heartfelt look at the human condition. It's opening in London this week and I would definitely try and catch it as it's the sort of film you have to see on the big screen.