Offside
- Director: Jafar Panahi
- Writer: Jafar Panahi; Shadmehr Rastin
- Producer: Jafar Panahi
CGiii Comment
This film proves that football and idiots go hand-in-hand, sport is bigger than religion...and, ticket touts are trash...no matter where you are in the world.
Political correctness has clouded all judgment...when it comes to an honest review of Offside.
The main problem is obvious when the 'non-actors' start speaking - especially the high-pitched, mono-tonal soldiers...none of these 'non-actors' can act...irritatingly so.
The repetitive dialogue and simplistic arguments are disposable...there is neither depth, complexity nor balance to what is actually being said.
If this had been made by a Western film school student - it would have been, quite rightly, ripped to shreds - most definitely, a fail...but, it was made by Panahi, a hugely respected director and a martyr to film-making...who stated the reason why he uses non-actors...in order to get honest reactions...bollocks!
Well, here is an honest reaction: Emperor's New Clothes.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
"Offside" is about a group of Iranian girls who attempts to enter Tehran's Azadi Stadium dressed as boys in order to watch a big football match but some get caught and arrested. After the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran, women are not allowed to enter the stadiums.
Cast & Characters
Sima Mobarak-Shahi as First girl;
Shayesteh Irani as Smoking girl;
Ayda Sadeqi as Soccer girl;
Golnaz Farmani as Girl with tchador;
Mahnaz Zabihi as Girl disguised as soldier;
Nazanin Sediq-zadeh as Young girl;
Melika Shafahi;
Safdar Samandar as Soldier from Azerbaijan;
Mohammad Kheir-abadi as Soldier from Mashad;
Masoud Kheymeh-kabood as Soldier from Tehran;
Mohammed-Reza Gharebaghi;
Hadi Saeedi as Soldier;
Masoud Gheyas-vand;
Ali Baradari as Bus Passenger;
Ali Roshan