Offside
Director: Jafar Panahi
Year: 2006
Rating: 8.5
Country: Iran
This small and wonderful film will fill the emptiness of your heart and give
sustenance to your troubled soul. And give a tiny spark of hope to all of
us. Humanity seeps through every pore of this with a simple message
of transcendent unity and a shared experience. And Football!! Directed by
Jafar Panahi in his usual way - with practically no funding but a lot of
passion and always having to watch his footing with the Iranian authorities.
As he has found out personally, it doesn't take much to land you in prison.
Just for making a film. In Iran you need to get your film and script approved.
Panahi clearly doesn't with this one - not sure he has with any of his films
- as he tiptoes into forbidden territory. Or sometimes you get approval
for a script and then shoot a different one. He has done that as well in
the past. Thus the title of the film is applicable both to football and to
his filmmaking. The film was banned in Iran for some obvious reasons once
you see it but it is especially sad in that this is such a joyous movie and
depicts the Iranian people with such warmth. It is not just a feel good movie
but a feel good about Iranians movie. And these days that is a good thing.
In Iran women are not allowed to attend sports events such as football (soccer).
The reasoning being - well all those men. Swearing and leering. Not fit company
for a good Muslim woman. But football is a passion there and Iran is playing
Bahrain to go to the World Cup tournament. The entire country is in a high
state of anxiety and excitement. Women too. But they can't go. There are
a number of political messages in the film; the most obvious being the patriarchal
attitude towards women. That is on full display. It is never heavy-hand though
but it is the driver of the film. Within that framework is a film that is
full of low-key humor, characters who feel very real from different aspects
of Iranian society, emotional resonance and an ending that is a firework
of pure delight.
The film basically consists of four set pieces. Remember that Panahi had
to make this film on the low-down and so he kept it simple with only a few
locations and non-professional actors for the most part. The film takes place
during the match - the film is 90 minutes long just like a game and some
of it is clearly shot during the game and after the game. But in fact it
took Panahi 39 days to make the film but he edits it all together so well
that it feels like the entire film was shot at the game. Quite amazing.
So the set pieces consist of one girl trying to disguise herself as a boy
to sneak in. She is caught and put in a holding pen with a group of five
other girls who also got caught. This is most of the film - the interplay
between the girls and the soldiers guarding them is funny and full of little
moments that just feel like life and an insight into the Iranian people.
One of the soldiers who has a view of the game gives the commentary as the
girls moan and cheer. The third set piece is when one of the girls has to
go to the bathroom and the soldier who takes her to the men's bathroom -
because there are none for women - and tells her to shut her eyes and not
read the disgusting writing on the bathroom walls. The scene gets chaotic
and very funny.
Finally, before the game is over they are all piled on to a bus to be taken
to Vice headquarters but the game ends and the city goes wild (this was all
shot just as it happens). The streets are full of celebrating people. Panahi
didn't know who would win and had two different scenarios - this one worked
out to perfection. This isn't a particularly deep or thought provoking film.
It is very simple and that is the power of its humanity. Though the film
never has been shown in Iran - we should demand that all his films are in
these current negotiations! - it is a much loved film in Iran as it was sold
in the illegal dvd market there. It became a symbol for women's right groups
as they posed in front of a poster of it. Small movies with the power of
their ideas.
