Are you getting a little tired of seeing the same old movies over and over again? It’s time to broaden your experiences with these critically best Iranian movies, which directors masterfully created and will inspire your emotions while entertaining you. You would think Iran’s cinema is not as good as other parts of the globe, but that’s not true; throughout the last several decades, numerous filmmakers have created excellent films that have broken records, causing Iran’s cinema to advance substantially in terms of quality. Some of the best Iranian movies made in Iran have also been shown at international film festivals and won awards there.

What Are the Best Iranian Movies

A growing number of film enthusiasts from various nations are becoming interested in Iranian cinema, which is why we have compiled a list of the best Iranian movies for you.

 A Separation (جدایی نادر از سیمین)

IMDb Rate: 8,3/10

Asghar Farhadi directed “A Separation” in 2011. A Separation is a film about an Iranian middle-class couple who are going through a difficult time in their marriage which can cause divorce. Simin wants to relocate to another country, but Nader disagrees since his father has Alzheimer’s disease and wants to take care of him. On the other hand, Nader appoints a caretaker for his father when Simin leaves, causing friction between the two. A Separation will always be one of the best Iranian movies of all time.

Awards

It’s the first Iranian film to win both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film in 2012.  At the 61st Berlin International Film Festival, it also won the Golden Bear for Best Film and the Silver Bears for Best Actress and Best Actor, making it the first Iranian film to win the Golden Bear in this category ever since. For the first time in five years, a non-English language film has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. At the conclusion of all film festivals, the film received 84 prizes and 45 nominations.

The Lizard (مارمولک)

IMDb Rate: 8,5/10

In 2004, Kamal Tabrizi directed “The Lizard.” This satirical movie critiques the clergy, the religious system, Iranian culture, and contemporary life in general. Online, you may get a copy of The Lizard with English subtitles in various qualities.

Plot

Reza Mesghaly, often known as Reza, the Lizard, is a robber who is well-known in criminal circles for his ability to climb any wall he comes across barehanded. At the beginning of the film, the police arrest him. In prison, Reza Marmoulak dresses in the cleric’s dress to escape from jail and call one of his friends, who advises him to go to a tiny border village and speak with a guy who would provide him with a forged passport to cross the border. The people mistakenly believe him to be the village’s new clergyman.

Just 6.5 (متری شش و نیم)

IMDb Rate: 8/10

Saeed Roustayi wrote and directed this thriller-drama film in 2019. A narcotics investigator named Samad (Payman Maadi) is on the trail of a shadowy drug lord named Naser Khakzad (Navid Mohammadzadeh). One day, a raid captures a low-level dealer, who leads to catching a larger fish, somehow linked to the legendary drug lord.

Gheisar (قیصر)

IMDb rate: 7,7/10

Masoud Kimiai directed Gheisar in 1969. Behrooz Vossoughi, who played the title hero Qeysar, rose to prominence by acting in this Iranian film. Gheisar is one of the best Iranian movies that Persians will never forget.

Plot

Fati, a young lady, passes away at a hospital. Upon learning of her death, her family’s sorrow is profound. She leaves a note explaining that she committed suicide due to Mansour raping her. Farman, Fati’s elder brother, an ex-street thug who now manages a butcher shop, determines to face Mansour, the rapist.

Children of Heavan (بچه های آسمان)

IMDb Rate: 8,2/10

Majid Majidi directed “Children of Heaven” in 1997, which is one of the best Iranian movies. In the movie, a brother and sister go on a journey to find their missing pair of shoes, which leads to a series of adventures. During the 1998 Academy Awards season, it was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film.

Plot

Ali’s family lives in an impoverished neighborhood in South Tehran and is struggling to make ends meet, so he does all he can to acquire her sister a pair of shoes. However, since his attempts have been vain, he has decided to share his shoes with his sister instead. Until one day, he decides to enter a contest to win a new pair of good shoes. Even amid poverty, the gorgeous, innocent faces of the beautiful Iranian children and their code of honor serve as the foundation for this inspirational story of kids attempting to deal with adversity and difficulties. Even while the directing, cinematography, and music are all excellent, it is the children who will capture your heart.

Ekhrajiha (Deportees) (اخراجی ها)

IMDb Rate: 5,3/10

Masoud Dehnamaki directed Ekhrajiha in 2007, which is among the best Iranian movies ever. The plot revolves around an incident during the Iran–Iraq War. In addition, the movie shattered all box-office records in Iran, grossing about 1 billion tomans in the first twenty-eight days of its release and making over 2 billion tomans by the end of its run. Furthermore, the film is one of the rare Iranian war films in which the protagonists are very flawed and engage in typically immoral actions.

Plot

In 1988, Majid, a gangster from Southern Tehran, gets freed from jail alongside Amir. Majid has been working hard to prove his honorability so that he might marry Narges, the daughter of Mirza, a devout Muslim in the community. On the other side, Bayram wants to marry Marzieh, Majid’s younger sister. Majid decides to join the war against the Iraqi Army to win over Narges and her father. They enlist in the military and begin training. Majid and his companions face hostility from authorities who doubt their religion since they don’t pray, gamble, use filthy language, smoke, and use drugs.

Best Iranian Movies on Netflix

Unfortunately, because of sanctions against Iran, no movies are available on Netflix. However, there are many websites to download the best Iranian movies easily. There are several barriers in the way of Iranian filmmakers’ efforts. The Ministry of Culture inspects every film meticulously to ensure that it complies with stringent cultural, moral, and religious norms. Iranian New Wave filmmakers have released plenty of controversial films despite the country’s strict censorship policies.

About Elly (درباره الی)

Asghar Farhadi directed “About Elly” in 2009. Asghar Farhadi is a two-time Oscar-winning director.

Plot

About Elly is about a group of ex-college friends as they go to the North of Iran. Golshifteh Farahani represents Sepideh, the woman in charge of organizing the trip and inviting her daughter’s kindergarten teacher, Elly, to meet their newly arrived German single friend, Ahmad. They stay at a house located on the Caspian Sea. They are having a wonderful time together until Elly mysteriously vanishes from their sight. A sequence of deceptions and truths threaten to demolish all they hold dear.  The film’s director, Asghar Farhadi, earned the Silver Bear for Best Director at the Berlin International Film Festival for this movie. Farhadi took home the Crystal Simorgh prize for best director at the 27th Fajr International Film Festival, where his film was nominated in ten categories and won one. The movie About Elly was also Iran’s official entry for the 82nd Academy Awards competition in the Foreign Film category.

The Salesman (فروشنده)

In 2016, Asghar Farhadi directed “The Salesman.” It’s about a married couple who put on a production of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman from 1949. While trying to figure out who attacked his wife, her husband endeavors to figure out how to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder. Farhadi drew on Miller’s play for inspiration for his own story within a story.

Plot

Emad and Rana are a married couple, and they work in the theatre. They are now performing in an Arthur Miller production of Death of a Salesman, with Emad representing Willy Loman and Rana portraying Linda, in which Emad plays Willy Loman, and Rana plays Linda. Emad is also a famous educator at a nearby school, where the students refer to him as a “salesman.” As one of the best Iranian movies, during the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, the film was released in competition and went on to win two awards: Best Screenplay for Farhadi and Best Actor for Shahab Hosseini. As a result of positive reviews from film reviewers, particularly those who lauded Farhadi’s directing and writing, The Salesman received the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.