HOMEWORK (Mashgh-e Shab) (1989) - ♦♦♦♦

Directed by - Abbas Kiarostami

"HOMEWORK is a documentary film in which the great Iranian filmmaker ABBAS KIAROSTAMI interviews a number of pupils at Tehran's Shahid Masumi school and asks them to share their opinions on its titular concept. 

It is shot in 16mm, and the its vast majority is made up of close ups of the kids being interviewed with the director's voice asking them questions off camera. But this simple concept is successful in painting a powerful picture of the cultural situation of Iran at the time. As children by nature are less prone to lie than adults, they do not always succeed in hiding revealing and sometimes embarrassing aspects of their family lives, and this shines a light on themes such as educations, parents' illiteracy and a more general perspective on their domestic situation. 

Every now and again, KIAROSTAMI brings in a more authoritative adult voice to the screen, and offers a contrast between them and the children. This is a further engaging aspect in a film that feels quite honest and mostly non-judgemental, though not entirely innocent, inviting the viewer to come up with its own conclusions to the subjects it presents."

Documentary, Iran