Thursday, June 7, 2007

OFFSIDE




Drama
In Farsi with English subtitles

DEFINITIONS
apartheid (a-part-height)
though pronunciations of the last syllable as [eight], [ite], and [ide] are also heard.
the policy or practice of political, legal, economic, or social discrimination against members of a minority group.

Gender apartheid
the strict gender-based segregation currently practiced in places such as Afghanistan, Iran and some other countries.

theocracy (thee-ok-ruh-see)
A nation or state in which the clergy exercise political power and in which religious law is dominant over civil law.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Sima Mobarak Shahi: First girl
Safar Samandar: Soldier at the Azari arena
Ida Sadeghi: Girl soccer player
Mahnaz Zabihi: Soldier girl
Shayesteh Irani: Smoking girl

REVIEW
This movie is about a subject not often discussed outside the Islamic world, the controversial policy of gender apartheid. Critics contend that in most or all circumstances it is a violation of human rights whereas its supporters assert that it is necessary to maintain decency, sacredness, modesty, or the family unit.

The film takes place in Iran, a theocracy where the President and legislature are constitutionally subject to the supervision of two offices reserved for Islamic Shiah clerics only: the Supreme Leader and the Guardian Council. As expounded by several soldiers in the movie, the traditionalists in power consider women to be delicate flowers who should not be subjected to the rowdy behaviour and vile language of males at soccer games. Consequently this is their justification for not allowing women into stadiums.

But dealing with a controversial subject is the only good thing about the movie. Apart from one or two people, the acting is terrible, often coming across as though they were reading from cue cards for the first time. In addition, the extensive use of a hand-held camera gives the film a look and feel of something done by an amateur for his own entertainment. And there is little evidence any effort has been made to edit the stock film as many sequences go on forever.

CLASSIFICATION
for language throughout, and some thematic elements.

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