The Song of Sparrows
Seen it?2008 | 96 min | Drama
Saturday Specialearly ratingWhy it’s a Saturday Special
Critics loved it (98% on Rotten Tomatoes), despite a box office flop. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who loves a strong drama.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 36 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in another language, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
When an ostrich-rancher focuses on replacing his daughter's hearing aid, which breaks right before crucial exams, everything changes for a struggling rural family in Iran. Karim motorbikes into a world alien to him - incredibly hectic Tehran, where sudden opportunities for independence, thrill and challenge him. But his honor and honesty, plus traditional authority over his inventive clan, are tested, as he stumbles among vast cultural and economic gaps between his village nestled in the desert, and a throbbing international metropolis.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
98% on Rotten Tomatoes, 74 on Metacritic
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsBelow par
Won 1 Berlin award: Silver Bear for Best Actor. Also nominated for 1 more Berlin award. Plus 1 other award.
- Box office & staying powerWeak
$220K worldwide
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
Not enough engagement data yet
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Majid Majidi
- Reza NajiKarim
- Hamid AghaziHussein
- Kamran DehghanAbbas
- Maryam AkbariNargess
- Hamid AghaziHossein
- Schabnam AkhlaghiHaneyeh
- Neshat NazariZarah
- Hassan RezaeeRamezan
- Ponya SalehiPonya