Screen/Society--Tropes of Home: Films of the Middle East--"The Runner" (Iran, 35mm)

Rare 35mm film screening of the Iranian classic: "The Runner" ("Davandeh")(dir. Amir Naderi, 1985, 94 min, Iran, in Persian w/ English subtitles, Color, 35mm)-- The first post-revolution film to gain significant attention in the West, Amir Naderi's semi-autobiographical film, "The Runner", has been a key influence on New Iranian cinema. The beautiful tale of a 13-year-old orphan boy, Amiro, who finds passionate joy in running, it 'ranks with those classics of childhood, "Shoeshine" and "The 400 Blows"' (San Francisco Chronicle). Told in simple, narrative structure and shot in neorealistic style, Amir Naderi creates a compassionate and life-affirming portrait of poverty and human resilience. Living in a rusting ruin of a ship beached on the Persian Gulf, Amiro ekes out a living by shining shoes and selling ice water and recyclable glass bottles. Against overwhelming odds, he also manages to enroll in school and learns to read. -- Cosponsored by the Graduate Student Association of Iranians at Duke. -- Debut of the "Tropes of Home: Films of the Middle East" film series.