Synopsis
Iranian musicians Negar and Ashkan look for band members to play at a London concert ... and the visa that allows them to leave Tehran to do so.
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Cast
- Negar ShaghaghiNegar
- Ashkan KoshanejadAshkan
- Hamed BehdadNader
- Babak MirzakhaniMirza Band Member
- Kosh MirzahiYellow Dogs Band Member
- Bahman GhobadiBahman
Recommendations
- 91
Entertainment Weekly
Director Bahman Ghobadi (Turtles Can Fly) shot his faux documentary in secret, and the close-to-the-ground style compensates for the tenuous narrative structure by capturing the energy and variety of Tehran's music scene in all its bravery. - 90
The New York Times
The film is careful to avoid explicit political statement, but its reticence makes its critique of the Iranian regime all the more devastating. - 75
NPR
The movie's principal liability is that most of the music is highly derivative. Ghobadi spends a lot of time on songs that are more interesting sociologically than musically. - 67
The A.V. Club
The movie comes to life whenever Hamed Behdad appears. - 60
Empire
Bahman Ghobadi can’t be faulted for showcasing so many bands, and the mix is wonderfully eclectic, but the linking episodes aren’t always riveting. - 60
The Hollywood Reporter
Of the many performers captured by D.P. Turaj Aslani's highly mobile video camera, an unframed woman singer identified as Rana Farhan is a standout. - 60
Variety
Strings an improvised tale around Tehran's underground indie-rock scene. Good-looking, shot-on-the-fly fifth feature by Bahman Ghobadi ("Half Moon," "Turtles Can Fly," "A Time for Drunken Horses"), which blends exciting musical performances with an undernourished narrative. - 60
Village Voice
Persian Cats is likeable but undistinguished filmmaking.
