A Moment Of Innocence

One of the key Iranian films of the 1990s, A Moment of Innocence revisits an episode from the director’s own life. In the pre-revolutionary 1970s, when he was 17, Makhmalbaf was jailed for stabbing a policeman. Twenty years later, he and the policeman come together to create a film of the incident, each overseeing the actor playing their younger selves.

Brilliantly traversing past and present, fact and fiction, memory and reality, the film probes the nature of truth with tenderness and humour. Recently restored by Makhmalbaf himself, the film will soon be released by Second Run.

Mehelli Modi

Mohsen Makhmalbaf (b. 1957) – one of the most prominent figures in Iranian cinema. In his youth, he belonged to a group of political militants, and he spent several years in prison for his activities. He began his career as a director after regaining his freedom. He has made such acclaimed works as A Moment of Innocence, Gabbeh, and Kandahar. He also founded a film school where several members of his family studied, including his wife, Marzieh Meshkini; their daughters, Samira and Hana; and their son, Maysam.

17th New Horizons IFF Catalogue