Children of Heaven is an exercise in empathy. This Iranian film by Majid Majidi is a touching underdog story that holds onto you from the opening few minutes and doesn’t let go until the end credits start rolling. We follow Ali, a nine year old boy, and his younger sister Zahra, as he loses her only pair of shoes on the way back from the cobbler. Their family is barely scraping by as it is, so the siblings decide to “share” Ali’s only pair of shoes. It’s a simple story, evoking universal emotions while being set in a distinctly specific cultural setting of a poor area of Tehran.
The direction and camerawork is superb. Most of the movie is shot from a kid’s level; taking the point of view of the main characters, we are constantly seeing adult’s midriffs. We are reminded that children see life differently than adults. There is an unforgettable scene near the end where the adults are rejoicing while Ali weeps silently: only he understands what’s important to him. The children in this film go through untold sacrifices and are forced to bear heavy burdens and responsibilities far beyond their years. But their capacity for compassion is still pristine.
The “bouncebackability” of children is amazing. In the little moments, the chores, the struggles, kids can see the beauty and fun in ordinary and even difficult moments. Seeing them play brings a smile to our faces as adults because we long to have that carefree and teflon-like innocence again. As heartbreaking as this film is at points, there are few movies that have made me smile as much as this one. It’s not laughter or comedy, but just pure joy.
The casting was fantastic too. The boy who plays Ali has these big soulful eyes that tear up more regularly than a child’s should, and Zahra is ridiculously cute. But they are their own characters, fully human and not simply caricatures or plot devices. Before you realize it, you are completely attached to the two children. Iranian films have a knack for touching, natural human stories about social classes and the hardships of life. There must be something in the water there – every single Iranian child actor I’ve seen is incredibly gifted and naturalistic.
The arc of the story is perfect too: the slow buildup, the ups and downs, the suspense at the end. It’s not a fairytale ending, but it reflects the funny thing about life – things often don’t work out quite like you planned but it turns out there was something else in store all along. It’s not exactly how you thought it would go, but maybe it’s just what you needed.
Children of Heaven, Iran’s first ever Oscar nominated film back in 1998, has apparently already inspired multiple adaptations, including Jack Neo’s famous I Not Stupid as well as a more faithful remake by Neo called Homerun, and it doesn’t stop with Singaporean cinema. Once you’ve seen it, you can’t get enough. Life is challenging, surprising, rewarding, and hard enough to get through as an adult. What about as a child? This is a film to cherish.
