Sun Children (Persian: خورشید, romanized: Khoršid), also known as The Sun, is a 2020 Iranian drama film co-produced, co-written and directed by Majid Majidi. It was presented in competition at the 77th Venice International Film Festival, where child actor Rouhollah Zamani won the Marcello Mastroianni Award. It was selected as the Iranian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards, making the shortlist of fifteen films.
| Sun Children | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Majid Majidi |
| Screenplay by | Majid Majidi Nima Javidi |
| Produced by | Majid Majidi Amir Banan |
| Starring | Rouhollah Zamani Javad Ezzati Shamila Shirzad Ali Nassirian |
| Cinematography | Hooman Behmanesh |
| Edited by | Hassan Hassandoost |
| Music by | Ramin Kousha |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 99 minutes |
| Country | Iran |
| Language | Persian |
Plot edit
12-year-old Ali and his three friends do small jobs and petty crimes to survive and support their families. In a timely turn of events, Ali is entrusted to find a hidden underground treasure. However, in order to gain access to the tunnel where the treasure is buried, Ali and his gang have first to enroll at the near Sun School, a charitable institution that tries to educate street kids and child laborers.
Cast edit
- Rouhollah Zamani as Ali
- Javad Ezzati as School Vice Principal
- Shamila Shirzad as Zahra
- Ali Nassirian as Hashem
- Abolfazl Shirzad as Abolfazl
- Seyyed Mohammad Mehdi Mousavi Fard as Mamad
- Mani Ghafouri as Reza
- Safar Mohammadi as School Janitor
- Ali Ghabeshi as School Principal
- Tannaz Tabatabaei as Ali's mother (cameo).[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Reception edit
Critical response edit
Iranian director Majid Majidi has made some of the most visually stunning and emotionally stirring films in world cinema about the plight of under-privileged, exploited and abused young people, and Sun Children (Khorshid) is one of his very best.
— The Hollywood Reporter / Deborah Young[7]
In “Sun Children,” the plot is considerably more complicated but still quite relatable, as Majidi stays focused on a small group of youngsters whose challenges, while minor, loom large as mountains in their minds.
Energetic and heartfelt, tipping towards tragedy, Sun Children crawls through the mud and emerges all the stronger. The quest is a red herring; the real treasure is the film.
— The Guardian / Xan Brooks[9]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 91% based on 23 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8/10.[10] Metacritic, assigned the film a weighted average score of 70 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[11]
Accolades edit
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fajr Film Festival | 11 February 2020 | Best Film | Majid Majidi, Amir Banan | Won | [6] |
| Best Screenplay | Majid Majidi, Nima Javidi | Won | |||
| Best Set Design | Keyvan Moghaddam | Won | |||
| Venice International Film Festival | 12 September 2020 | Marcello Mastroianni Award | Rouhollah Zamani | Won | [5] |
| Lanterna Magica Award | Majid Majidi | Won | |||
| Miami International Film Festival | 2021 | Knight Marimbas Award | Nominated | [12] | |
| Munich Film Festival | Best International Film | Nominated | |||
| Moscow International Film Festival | NETPAC Jury Prize | Nominated | |||
| Fünf Seen Film Festival | Audience Award | Nominated | |||
| Asian Film Awards | 8 October 2021 | Best Editor | Hassan Hassandoost | Nominated | [13] |
| Best Newcomer | Rouhollah Zamani | Nominated | |||
| Iran's Film Critics and Writers Association | 2022 | Best Cinematography | Hooman Behmanesh | Nominated |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Davis, Clayton (9 February 2021). "Oscars Shortlists Announced in Nine Categories". Variety. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
- ^ "Majidi's 'The Sun' to represent Iran in Oscar 2021". Mehr News Agency. 8 November 2020. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
- ^ "Venice Film Festival 2020 Winners: Nomadland Takes Golden Lion, Vanessa Kirby Is Best Actress". IndieWire. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
- ^ "Venezia 77 Competition". labiennale.org. La Biennale di Venezia. 28 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ a b Sharf, Zack (28 July 2020). "Venice Film Festival 2020 Full Lineup: Luca Guadagnino, Chloe Zhao, Gia Coppola, and More". IndieWire. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ a b Mousavi Sabet, Seyyed Mostafa (11 February 2020). "Child labor drama The Sun shines as best film at Fajr festival". Tehran Times. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ Young, Deborah (6 September 2020). "'Sun Children' ('Khorshid'): Film Review | Venice 2020". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
- ^ Debruge, Peter (6 September 2020). "'Sun Children' Review: Iranian Master Majid Majidi's Latest Empathizes With His Country's Exploited Kids". Variety. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
- ^ "Sun Children review – Iranian street kids strike gold". the Guardian. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
- ^ "Sun Children (2020)", Rotten Tomatoes, Fandango, retrieved 29 November 2022
- ^ Sun Children, retrieved 11 August 2021
- ^ "Sun Children". Miami Film Festival. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
- ^ Sabastian Nadilo (9 September 2021). "15th Asian Film Awards – Nominations 2021". Asian Film Festivals. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
