Sunday 16th February 3:45 PM - Alhambra
Secret Ballot
(Raye makhfi)
Details
Director: Babak Payami Country: Iran/ItalyCert: U Year: 2001 Length: 105 minsLanguage: Farsi
Synopsis
Nassim Abdi, Cyrus Abidi, Youssef Habashi.
The principles of democracy, the comedy of the absurd, and the road movie would seem not to have very much in common. However, these themes are all present in Babak Payami's beautifully photographed film about a bright, urban, educated young woman who arrives on a remote Iranian island to bring enlightenment and the chance to vote to a backward peasant population. They in turn have a thing or two to teach her - about human relationships and the nature of their vastly different existence. There is humour, but also dignity, in Payami's look at democracy Iranian-style.
Winner, 5 awards, nominated for Golden Lion: Venice Film Festival 2001
FIPRESCI Award, London Film Festival 2001
Critics

Powerful...lyrical and subtly political

Dave Calhoun, Dazed & Confused