Taxi (2015 film)

Taxi

Taxi official poster
Directed by Jafar Panahi
Produced by Jafar Panahi
Written by Jafar Panahi
Starring Jafar Panahi, Hana Saeidi
Production
company
Jafar Panahi Film Productions
Release dates
  • 6 February 2015 (Berlin)
Running time
 82 minutes
Country Iran
Language Persian

Taxi (Persian: تاکسی‎) is a 2015 Iranian drama film starring and directed by Jafar Panahi. The film premiered in competition at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival[1] where it won the Golden Bear[2] and the FIPRESCI Prize.[3] In 2010, Panahi was banned from making films and travelling, so his niece Hana Saeidi, who also appears in the film, collected the award on his behalf.[4]

Production

Similar to Abbas Kiarostami's Ten and A Taste of Cherry,[5] it has been described as "a portrait of the Iranian capital Tehran"[6] and as a "documentary-like film is set in a Tehran taxi that is driven by Panahi"[7] with passengers who "candidly confide[d]" to Panahi.[8] According to Jean-Michel Frodon, the passengers include "Men and women, young and old, rich and poor, traditionalists and modernists, pirated video vendors, and advocates of human rights, [who sit] in the passenger seat of the inexperienced driver [who they refer to as] Harayé Panahi (Aghaye Panahi, آقای پناهی), 'Mr. Panahi'." The passengers are played by non-professional actors, whose identities remain anonymous.[5]

Like his previous two films This Is Not a Film and Closed Curtain, the film was made despite Panahi's 20-year ban from making films.[9] His previous two films had been shot in extreme secrecy in Panahi's apartment and in a private house. In this film Panahi filmed out in the open on the streets of Tehran.[5]

Shortly after the film's premiere at Berlin was announced, Panahi released an official statement in which he promised to continue making films despite the ban and said "Nothing can prevent me from making films since when being pushed to the ultimate corners I connect with my inner-self and, in such private spaces, despite all limitations, the necessity to create becomes even more of an urge."[8]

Reception

While receiving only four reviews from professional critics on Metacritic, the film has received a score of 96, indicating universal acclaim.[10]

Taxi won the Golden Bear prize at the 2015 Berlin International Film Festival.[11] Because Panahi was legally unable to leave Iran to attend the festival, his niece Hana Saeidi (who appears in the film) was there to accept the award on his behalf.[11] Berlin Jury president Darren Aronofsky described the film as "a love letter to cinema...filled with love for his art, his community, his country and his audience."[11]

In an interview following the win at Berlin, Panahi pleaded with authorities to allow his film to be screened publicly in Iran.[12] The Iranian government’s film branch, the Cinema Organisation, offered a statement that was at once celebratory and critical, congratulating Panahi for the win while accusing the Berlin Film Festival of spreading misunderstanding by awarding the prize to Panahi.[12]

Cast

Jafar Panahi

References

  1. ↑ "Jafar Panahi’s New Film in Competition. Sebastian Schipper, Werner Herzog, Benoit Jacquot and Further Titles Added to the Selection". Berlinale. January 14, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Prizes of the International Jury". Berlinale. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  3. ↑ "BERLIN 2015: Jafar Panahi ganó el FIPRESCI con Taxi". fancinema. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "Berlin Film Festival: Panahi's Taxi wins Golden Bear". BBC News. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Frodon, Jean-Michel (February 5, 2015). "'Taxi' de Jafar Panahi, premier événement de la Berlinale" (in French). Slate France. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Banned Iranian filmmaker part of the Berlin Film Festival lineup". Haaretz.com. January 14, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Berlinale to screen "Atom-Heart Mother"". Tehran Times. January 16, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Vivarelli, Nick (January 26, 2015). "Iranian Auteur Jafar Panahi Issues Statement on Irrepressible Need to Direct Despite Moviemaking Ban". Los Angeles, CA: Variety. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
  9. ↑ "'Taxi' Panahi was the competition in Berlin". BBC Persian. January 15, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  10. ↑ Taxi (2015), Metacritic
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Moulson, Geir (14 February 2015). "Iran director Panahi's 'Taxi' wins top honor at Berlin fest". Associated Press. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (5 February 2015). "Jafar Panahi asks for Golden Bear winner Taxi to be shown in Iran". The Guardian (Guardian News and Media). Retrieved 19 February 2015.

External links