Offside / آفساید (2006 Jafar Panahi & co-scr, ed)

Another thought-provoking, terrifying, charming, big-hearted and brilliant Persian film from Jafar Panahi, who co-wrote with Shadmehr Rastin, won the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. (I'll tell you who isn't a fan of Iranian films - BAFTA. Since the award began in the eighties, only two Iranian films have been nominated - A Separation and The Salesman - and neither won.)

What can I tell you? Not a lot. It was actually filmed at a stadium where Iran was playing a World Cup qualifying match, and the ending, in which the girls escape into a delirious celebrating crowd, must have taken advantage of the situation (Panahi apparently had an alternative ending if Iran had lost).

What we learn is that the girls are just as enthusiastic, foul-mouthed, violent and rowdy as the male fans, proving that their banning from the stadium is ridiculous. It was inspired by Panahi's own daughter, who did manage to sneak into a game with her dad.

And there's interesting commentary on the military too - as the soldiers represented here are just young men doing their national service without any particular enthusiasm for their job. Thus the hilarious escape scene from the toilets - the public aren't afraid of the soldiers (all presumably having served their own national service).

I loved the credits. Sima Mobarak Shahi (First Girl), Safar Samandar Azari (Soldier), Shayesteh Irani (Smoking Girl), M KheyRabadi Mashadi (Soldier), Golnaz Farmani (Girl with Chandor), Mahnaz Zabihi (Soldier Girl), M.R. Gharadaghi (Boy with fireworks!) Invaluable info here.

Are all these films shot with only available light? I didn't really notice any lighting, and I don't quite know how they would accomplish it. It's another Persian mystery. The DP is Mahmood Kalari.

And the most moving bit is the reference to the seven football fans who died in the Iran - Japan game.

We continue to be blown away by Iranian cinema. It's claimed this is the most-watched banned film in Iran.

"Shut your eyes." "Why?" "So you can't see the writing on the walls."