The following was written for a university film class after seeing the Iranian masterpiece, Children of Heaven. After seeing the film, I was really struck by the apparent paradox between redemption and action.
Children of Heaven tells the story of a brother and sister in Iran, Ali and Zahra, and their quest for Zahra’s lost pair of shoes. In the beginning of the film, Ali, while taking his sister’s shoes to be repaired, loses the shoes to a blind man in a produce shop. Throughout the film, the two siblings keep their dilemma secret from their parents, in order to avoid punishment, as their parents cannot afford to buy new shoes. Children of Heaven is a story of tribulation, devotion, and redemption. Throughout the film, a clear theme is presented- although a person’s character is defined by their actions, each must depend on the help of others. This theme is perpetuated through the director’s use of formic elements, and it is further emphasized by presenting the cultural and religious status quo of modern Iran through film.
Throughout the film, people are displayed performing daily tasks. On multiple occasions, the director focuses the camera at the persons hands, and shows them meticulously working. In the first scene, we see the shoe maker’s hands carefully mending Zahra’s torn shoes. We cannot see the person’s face, and we do not initially know the circumstance of the scene. We do not know who is repairing the shoes and why- we only see their hands and the shoes. The scene lingers on for several minutes, and the viewer is absorbed into the character’s task. This technique is implemented throughout the film- pouring tea at the mosque, Ali and Zahra washing the sneakers, and Zahra writing at school. What function does this formic technique fulfill? The method undoubtedly shifts focus to the characters’ actions, what they do, and how they do it. This stylistic approach advocates the importance of one’s actions. It further suggests that a person’s character is ultimately defined by what they do.
Although the film advocates that a person’s identity is defined by their actions, it further suggests that one’s actions are ultimately not enough for success. This is further represented by the cultural environment of Iran. As a generally male-dominated society, women are viewed inferior to men. This cultural earmark is represented in several instances throughout the film. In one scene, Ali and Zahra’s father is angry at their mother for speaking with the landlord- his tone of voice is dominating in the scene, and the mother is submissive in return. It is apparent the father believes it is his responsibility to manage the financial affairs of the family, while the mother is to attend to the affairs of the house. Furthermore, it is the boy Ali who must go out and win the sneakers in the race for his sister, Zahra. Why couldn’t Zahra devise means to get new shoes for herself? No girls were even allowed to participate in the race. This cultural element of the film acts to create a system of dependencies of the characters.
Each person is dependent on someone or something else for success in Children of Heaven. The store keeper needs patrons, the father needs money for his family, Ali and Zahra need shoes, and a woman needs a man. These dependencies create an implicit paradox in the film- although a person is define by their actions, one must ultimately rely on someone else for success and happiness. Although Ali and Zahra were able to work together and share their sneakers, and Ali was able to win the race, in the end, their efforts were insufficient. Ali was unable to win new shoes for his sister, despite his tremendous effort.
In the end, it is their father who purchases new shoes for both kids with the gardening money. This subtly redemptive action brought success to Ali and Zahra, despite their tremendous efforts. Their father provided them with what they could not furnish themselves- redemption. This action embodies the theme of the film that although a person’s character is defined by their actions, each must depend on others for success.
Tags: children of heaven, foreign, iranian, movies, review