Ten
dir. Abbas Kiarostami · 2002
Feature
Cultural Dislocation
Mood
Contemplative / Melancholic
Look
minimalistic, naturalistic, with a focus on in-car framing
Structure
episodic conversations revealing character depth
Plot
Ten, the latest film by Iranian master filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami, focuses on ten conversations between a female driver in Tehran and the passengers in her car. Her exchanges with her young son, a jilted bride, a prostitute, a women on her way to prayer and others, shed light on the lives and emotions of these women whose voices are seldom heard.
Why watch
A woman drives through the bustling streets of Tehran, engaging in ten distinct conversations with her passengers, each revealing layers of their lives and struggles. Watching it feels like eavesdropping on intimate moments, where the mundane becomes profound, and the voices of women often silenced in society are given space to breathe.
Talking points
- the role of women in Iranian society
- the significance of everyday conversations
- urban alienation in modern cities
Cultural context
contemporary Iranian societygender dynamics in urban settingsthe impact of modernity on tradition