SYNOPSICS
20 Fingers (2004) is a Persian movie. Mania Akbari has directed this movie. Bijan Daneshmand,Mania Akbari are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2004. 20 Fingers (2004) is considered one of the best Drama movie in India and around the world.
A film in several episodes with Bijan Daneshmand and Mania Akbari, exposing some of the issues of men and women within the confines of tradition and family life in Iran. Each episode displays a different form of male/female interaction. The placing of the actors in a moving vehicle or against a moving back drop signifies the movement of life despite all the obstacles in its way. The film deals with the roots of dependencies, limitations, power struggles and conflict that are the familiar stuff of life of couples in the Middle East.
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20 Fingers (2004) Reviews
Fantastic film about a man and a woman in middle east- their life and issues
This film is one that when you leave the cinema, you go on talking about it for days to come. It engages you. Seven conversations between a man and a woman: played by Bijan Daneshmand and Mania Akbar. They are not just conversations, they are energy charged , emotionally engaging conversations, ending sometimes in a fight or massive argument. As a viewer you get very involved, Filmed beautifully, you do not feel the presence, the existence of a camera. It flows so smoothly. The part played by the man is challenging , portraying this insecure person, and yet a man that wants to be seen strong, a middle eastern man. Pretending that he likes to give freedom to his partner, but when it really that freedom is requested, it is denied. An impressive performance by Daneshmand. Mani Akbar, seen in "Ten" over 2 years ago, gives a good solid performance as a young woman wanting more freedom and movement in her life. Highly recommended film.
20 Fingers (2004)
Directed by Mania Akbari, dedicated to Abbas Kiarostami Starring Mania Akbari, Bijan Daneshmand Mania Akbari, best known as the actress in Abbas Kiarostami's "Ten" wrote, directed and starred in this film which is a series of seven conversations between a man and a woman. In each section Bijan Daneshmand plays the part of the man, he also produced the film. Each of the conversations deals with a different topic that raises differences between men and women, 1 or 2 are issues which are more prominent within a Muslim or other strict religious society but the majority are universal. The first section caused the film to be banned in Iran, a woman's virginity is forcibly taken by her fiancé, why? because in his words "I had to be sure" that she was a virgin. Immediately you are thrown into a society where the majority of women are treated as second class citizens, checked to ensure their virginity is intact before marriage because the loss of it is a source of deep family shame. The woman worries how she will explain the bloody stain to her family while the man appears pretty blasé about the whole incident. Each section picks up a different issue - petty jealousy and attention seeking, abortion and the importance of having a son to carry on the family line, infidelity, what it would be like to be the opposite sex and even lesbianism. The conversations are natural and frank, you feel as though you are eavesdropping on the couples. Apart from one of the sections, the conversations all occur in moving vehicles representing the journeys couples embark on together through life. The chapters are well filmed and special note must be made on the third part which was filmed in busy traffic in Tehran, the couple start of on a motorbike with a young child, because they keep arguing the wife and child disembark from the bike and get a lift from a passing car, the husband on his bike forces the car to pull over, the wife and child exit and after another argument they all ride off on the bike again. Doesn't sound too impressive till you realise it was all done in a single take, no cutting or editing and in real traffic, very skilled film making. As already noted, a lot of these issues are universal but probably more emphasised because of the strict religious background, it is common around the world that a man who puts it about is a stud and is held in esteem by his peers while a woman who does the same is a tart or slut, not only in the eyes of men but of other women as well, something isn't quite right with that ideology. As far as the title goes, I had assumed before seeing the film that the "20 Fingers" referred to the couples, 2 hands each, 20 fingers between them. During the film we're told through one of the conversations that it refers to a remark the woman's Grandmother had made along the lines of "The 20 fingers represented the number of men a woman could sleep with and still be regarded as a woman, any more than 20 and she would be regarded as a prostitute." I was taken aback but this remark is probably metaphorical. This is very brave film-making and hopefully we will see more from Mania Akbari, Recommended viewing.
Dynamic, challenging and refreshing
20 Fingers strives to portray events in a realistic manner. Everything contributes to this concept. The conversations are seen in their entirety in long takes, shot in natural (practical) lighting and in real-world locations with 'stolen' footage. The sense that this is a film about a real Iran is palpable and exciting, even given Iranian cinema's usual favoured realism. Out of this, one response is to question if there is an actual narrative to the events, or whether these are simply snapshots. It is very difficult to place the conversations in an order, so this seems to obstruct an attempt at creating a 'story' out of these events. This only serves to increase the realism after all, real life does not run to any pre-conceived plot. However, the realism means that this relationship is assumed to continue after each fade to black, so the conversations that are shown may construe some particular meaning. Even from the first conversation there is a sense of conflict between the two. This is referred to in every conversation as jokingly 'the games we play'. One criticism I think can be levelled is the familiarity of this phrase in popular culture, certainly western culture, and so in some moments its inclusion can seem a little trite though perhaps the fault lies in a lazy translation. However, obviously the idea of the relationship being a game runs throughout, and this lies in stark contrast to the perception of Iran as a formal, strict society. As a film made for foreign audiences, the on-screen relationship of the two actors, dynamic and amusing and often violent, is an undeniable eye-opener.
very interesting Iranian film showing the problems a couple face.
I first saw this film at Vancouver Film Festival 2004. A very interesting Iranian film by woman director Mania Akbari, previously known for her role in Ten by Abbas Kiarostami. A couple: Bijan Daneshmand and Mania Akbari perform their roles with such reality that I was feeling as though I was present. One feels uncomfortable at times due to the sincerity that subjects are explored. A change from previous Iranian films- here we see they have relationship and marital problems similar to those we have in the West. Whether it is about jealousy, abortion, dancing with another person, homosexuality, sexuality and so on. In the West the image we have of the East and Muslim countries is based on what we see on the news and the odd documentary. This is a lovely change. An excellent film with a very high level of performance by Akbari and Daneshmand.
A worthwhile, unusual Iranian film
An interesting experimental Iranian film, shot on DV, with shades of John Cassavettes. A series of 7 vignettes about married couples. Each story is about different couple, but all are played by the same two actors. Each scene is one shot only, mostly close ups panning back and forth, while the couple is on some mode of transportation (a motorbike, a train, a ski lift). The acting has a rough, improvisational feel, that works very well for the most part. The only negative is that the film starts to get repetitive in theme as well as style. Each story is about women being repressed in some way, and while I understand that's an important theme (in Iran, but really anywhere) I wish it had covered more elements of how couples relate. Still, I'm glad I saw it.