How do you review something which isn’t a film? Something which also really can’t be considered a documentary and almost feels like a diary? Those are the questions I asked myself when watching “This is not a film”. Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi tries to give the viewer a look into his life and the situation he is in.
The director is appealing a court case in which the decision was made that he won’t be allowed to make movies anymore. For a director not being able to make movies anymore is liking water away from a fish. Panahi still wants to film what he is doing and decides to film a day in his life as he awaits the verdict of the court in his house in Tehran. The resulting footage has been smuggled out of the country in order for the whole world being able to see what is happening to him.
As a viewer you get to know him and his neighbours a bit, see him talking to his lawyer and doing what he loves, thinking about movies. He tells about a new movie he wants to make and uses tape on the floor to show what the house looks like where it would be set. As he is telling about it he suddenly stops realising that it all might never be possible, why talk about it if it might never become a reality. The message that becomes clear watching this is that creativity should not be restricted by a government and it can have a very big effect on people.
I agree that it’s so hard to review this film. Did you enjoy watching it? I found it intriguing but am unsure how much it really grabbed me during the viewing.
It’s the reason I decided not to rate it. Enjoy is the wrong word, it was informative and parts interesting and intriguing.
Pingback: » Movie Review – Chernobyl Chronicles Fernby Films