''Shirin'' () is a 2008 film directed by Iranian filmmaker

Abbas Kiarostami Abbas Kiarostami ( fa, عباس کیارستمی ; 22 June 1940 – 4 July 2016) was an Iranian film director, screenwriter, poet, photographer, and film producer. An active filmmaker from 1970, Kiarostami had been involved in the production of ...

. The film is considered by some critics as a notable twist in the artistic career of Kiarostami. The film features close-ups of many notable Iranian actresses and French actress

Juliette Binoche Juliette Binoche (; born 9 March 1964) is a French actress and dancer. She has appeared in more than sixty feature films and has been the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Silver Bear, ...

as they watch a film based on a part mythological

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

romance Romance (from Vulgar Latin , "in the Roman language", i.e., "Latin") may refer to: Common meanings * Romance (love), emotional attraction towards another person and the courtship behaviors undertaken to express the feelings * Romance languages, ...

tale of

Khosrow and Shirin Khosrow and Shirin ( fa, خسرو و شیرین) is the title of a famous tragic romance by the Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi (1141–1209), who also wrote Layla and Majnun. It tells a highly elaborated fictional version of the story of the love ...

, with themes of female self-sacrifice. The film has been described as "a compelling exploration of the relationship between image, sound and female spectatorship." The film depicts the audience's emotional involvement with the story. The story is read between the tragic and kitsch by a cast of narrators led by Manoucher Esmaieli and is accompanied by a historical "film score" by Morteza Hananeh and Hossein Dehlavi. The film's production is replete with curious anecdotes. According to some reports, the women were filmed individually in Kiarostami's living room, with the director asking them to cast their gaze at a mere series of dots above the camera. The director has also stated that, during the filming process, he had no idea what film they were watching, and settled on the Khosrow and Shirin myth only after shooting had concluded. In ''Taste of Shirin'' (2008, 27 minutes), a documentary by Hamideh Razavi on the making of the film, one can see how the film really was shot. The brief appearance of

in the film came as a coincidence. She was visiting Kiarostami and Iran as a guest during Shirin's project and she became interested to participate in the project. It was first screened at the

65th Venice International Film Festival The 65th annual Venice International Film Festival, held in Venice, Italy, was opened on 27 August 2008 by ''Burn After Reading'',

Cast

More than 100 actresses took part in this film. Some of them are: *

Taraneh Alidoosti Taraneh Alidoosti ( fa, ترانه عليدوستی; born 12 January 1984) is an Iranian actress. She is best known internationally for her role in '' The Salesman'' (2016), which won the Best Foreign Language Film Award at the 89th Academy Aw ...

Niki Karimi Niki Karimi ( fa, نیکی کریمی; born November 10, 1971) is an Iranian actress, director, screenwriter and producer. Regarded as "the most prominent figure among the young generations coming after the Iranian Revolution", she has received v ...

Mahtab Keramati Mahtab Keramati ( fa, مهتاب کرامتی; born 17 October 1970) is an Iranian actress. She has received various accolades, including a Crystal Simorgh, two Hafez Awards. In August 2006, she was appointed as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in Iran. ...

Hedieh Tehrani Hedieh Tehrani ( fa, هديه تهرانی; born June 25, 1972) is an Iranian actress. She is most noted for willingness to play mysterious, stony-faced and cold-hearted women. She has received various accolades, including two Crystal Simorgh, ...

Mahnaz Afshar Mahnaz Afshar ( fa, مهناز افشار; born June 10, 1977) is an Iranian actress. She gained wide recognition in the record-breaking film ''Cease Fire'' (2006). She has received various accolades, including a Crystal Cymorgh, two Hafez Awar ...

Pegah Ahangarani Pegah Ahangarani ( fa, پگاه آهنگرانی; born 24 July 1984) is an Iranian actress and director. She has received various accolades, including a Crystal Simorgh, a Hafez Award and an Iran's Film Critics and Writers Association Award. ...

Zar Amir Ebrahimi Zahra Amir Ebrahimi ( fa, زهرا اميرابراهيمی; born July 9, 1981) known professionally as Zar Amir Ebrahimi (), is an Iranian-French actress, producer and director. She is best known for her performance as journalist Arezoo Rahim ...

* Shirin Bina *

Khatereh Asadi Khatereh Asadi ( fa, خاطره اسدی; born 29 August 1983) is an Iranian actress. Biography Asadi was born on 29 August 1983 in Tehran and graduated in School of Radio & Television Art & Literature. She holds a bachelor's degree in drama ...

Vishka Asayesh Vishka Asayesh ( fa, ویشکا آسایش; born November 7, 1972) is an Iranian actress, set designer, and art director. She obtained a degree in set design from the UK. She is also a sculptor and has exhibited her art works at Etemad Gallery ...

Rana Azadivar Rana Azadivar ( fa, رعنا آزادی‌ور; born April 6, 1983) is an Iranian actress. She is best known for her role as Faezeh in ''The Lizard'' (2004). Azadivar gained wide recognition after portraying the leading role of Samira in the wide ...

Pantea Bahram Pantea Bahram ( fa, پانته‌آ بهرام; born 4 March 1970) is an Iranian actress. She has received various accolades, including a Crystal Simorgh and an Iran Cinema Celebration Award, in addition to nominations for five Hafez Awards and f ...

Pouri Banai Pouri Banayi ( fa, پوری بنایی; born Seddigheh Banayi fa, صدیقه بنایی, links=no, 11 October 1940) is an Iranian actress. She acted in more than 85 feature films between 1965 and 1979. During her years of acting before the Irania ...

Afsaneh Bayegan Afsaneh Bayegan ( fa, افسانه بایگان; born 2 January 1961) is an Iranian film and television actress and beauty pageant titleholder who placed 2nd Runner-Up at Miss Iran 1976. Born in Tehran, her artistic career started with the short fi ...

Sahar Dolatshahi Sahar Dolatshahi ( fa, سحر دولتشاهی, born October 8, 1979) is an Iranian actress. She is best known for her acting in ''Ice Age'' (2015)'', Istanbul Junction'' (2018)'', The Frog'' (2020–2021) ''and I Want to Live'' (2021–present). ...

Setareh Eskandari Setareh Eskandari ( fa , ستاره اسکندری; also Romanized as "Setāreh Eskandari", ; born June 15, 1974) is an Iranian stage, movie, and TV actress. She is mostly known for her parts in TV series since 1994, especially the TV series ''Nar ...

Golshifteh Farahani Rahavard Farahani ( fa, رهاورد فراهانی; born 10 July 1983), known professionally as Golshifteh Farahani (), is an Iranian-French actress. She is known for her performances in ''M for Mother'' (2006), '' Body of Lies'' (2008), ''Abo ...

Shaghayegh Farahani Shaghayegh Farahani ( fa, شقایق فراهانی; born ) is an Iranian actress. She is the daughter of actor Behzad Farahani, and sister of actress Golshifteh Farahani. Early life Farahani was born Tehran, Iran. She is the oldest daughter o ...

Bita Farahi Bita Lahrakhani Deinabli, better known as Bita Farrahi ( fa, بيتا فرهی , born 21 March 1958 in Tehran) is an Iranian actress. She is one of the most famous and internationally acclaimed actresses in Iran. Career Bita Farrahi studied art ...

Elsa Firouz Azar Elsa Firouz Azar ( fa, السا فیروزآذر; born 16 September 1983) is an Iranian actress, assistant director, scene clerk, theatre director and writer. Education She holds her bachelor's degree in architecture from Royan Noor University a ...

Fatemeh Goudarzi Fatemeh Goudarzi (born 10 July 1963) is an Iranian actress. Filmography *2017 Nafas (TV series) *2008 Shirin Shirin ( fa, شیرین; died 628) was a Christian wife of the Sasanian King of Kings (''shahanshah'') Khosrow II (). In the revolut ...

Azita Hajian Azita Hajian ( fa, آزیتا حاجیان, born 10 January 1958) is an Iranian actress. Early life She was born on 10 January 1958 in Narmak, Tehran. She graduated in theatre acting and directing from the ''Faculty of Dramatic Arts'' in Tehran ...

Leila Hatami Leila Hatami ( fa, لیلا حاتمی; born October 1, 1972) is an Iranian actress. She has received numerous accolades, including a Silver Bear, two Crystal Simorghs, two Hafez Awards, two Iran Cinema Celebration Awards and three Iran's Film ...

Irene Irene is a name derived from εἰρήνη (eirēnē), the Greek for "peace". Irene, and related names, may refer to: * Irene (given name) Places * Irene, Gauteng, South Africa * Irene, South Dakota, United States * Irene, Texas, United Stat ...

Behnaz Jafari Behnaz Jafari ( fa, بهناز جعفری, born in 1975) is an Iranian actress. Biography Behnaz Jafari was born in 1975, Tehran, Iran. She is graduated in dramatic literature from Islamic Azad University. She won the ''Crystal Simorgh for Bes ...

Negar Javaherian Negar Javaherian ( fa, نگار جواهریان, born January 12, 1983) is an Iranian actress. She is best known for her acting in ''Gold and Copper'' (2010), '' Here Without Me'' (2011), ''A Cube of Sug''ar (2011) and '' The Painting Pool'' (20 ...

* Falamak Jonidi *

Hamideh Kheirabadi Hamideh Kheirabadi ( fa, حمیده خیرآبادی; 21 December 1924 – 19 April 2010) was an Iranian film and theatre actress. She played in more than 200 feature films and in over 20 television series. In Iran, she is affectionately ref ...

* Gohar Kheirandish *

Niku Kheradmand Niku Kheradmand ( fa, نیکو خردمند , also Romanized as ''Nikoo Kheradmand''; 10 November 1932 – 17 November 2009) was an Iranian actress and film dubber. She died in a Tehran hospital on 17 November 2009, aged 77. Kheradmand had suffe ...

Sara Khoeniha Sara Khoeniha ( fa, سارا خوئینی‌ها; also Romanized as "Sara Khoeiniha"; born 1975 in Tehran) is an Iranian actress. She also acted by the name "Sara Vosoughi". She graduated from University of Tehran in the field Graphics. Life She ...

Baran Kosari Baran Kosari ( fa, باران کوثری; ; born 16 September 1985) is an Iranian actress. Biography She graduated from ''Soureh academy''. ''The Best Papa of the World'' (1991) is her first acting experience. She had appearances in some of her ...

Fatemah Motamed-Aria Fatemeh Motamed-Arya ( fa, فاطمه معتمدآریا; born October 29, 1961 in Tehran) is a multi-award-winning Iranian actress. She first got involved in theater during her teen years, and received her degree in theater from Tehran Art Instit ...

Shabnam Moghaddami Shabnam Moghaddami ( fa, شبنم مقدمی, born in 1973) is an Iranian actress. Filmography Film and Television *2012 - ''Laboratory '' *2012 - ''Kissing the Moon-Like Face'' *2009 - ''Ashpaz Bashi'' (TV series) *2008 - ''Farzande khak'' *2 ...

Ladan Mostofi Ladan Mostofi ( fa, لادن مستوفی; born November 17, 1972) is an Iranian actress. She has received various accolades, including nominations for three Crystal Simorgh, two Hafez Awards and an Iran Cinema Celebration Awards. She won the Best ...

Yekta Naser Yekta Naser ( fa, یکتا ناصر; born November 3, 1978 in Tehran) is an Iranian actress and model. Early life Yekta Naser has received a Crystal Simorgh for Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the 30th Fajr International Film Festival for h ...

Roya Nonahali Roya Nonahali ( fa, رویا نونهالی; born February 13, 1963) is an Iranian actress and director. She studied painting, and has worked in theatre since 1984. Nonahali started film acting with ''The Beloved Is at Home'' (1987, by Khosrow Sin ...

* Zhale Olov *

Rabeh Oskouie Rabeh Oskouie ( fa, رابعه اسکویی) is an Iranian film and Television actress. She started theater training under the supervision of Iranian theater director Hamid Samandarian. Filmography * 2020 - '' Tweezers (TV series)'' * 2019 – '' ...

* Mahaya Petrossian * Leili Rashidi *

Katayoun Riahi Katayoun Riahi ( fa, کتایون ریاحی; born ) is an Iranian actress. She has received various accolades, including three Hafez Awards, in addition to nomination for an Iran Cinema Celebration Award. She is also the founder and CEO of the Ko ...

* Homeira Riazi * Elnaz Shakerdoust *

Hanieh Tavassoli Hanieh Tavassoli ( fa, هانیه توسلی; born June 4, 1979) is an Iranian actress. She has received various accolades, including a Crystal Simorgh and an Iran Cinema Celebration Award, in addition to nominations for five Hafez Awards and an I ...

* Roya Taymourian *

Sahar Valadbeigi Sahar Valadbeigi ( fa, سحر ولدبیگی; born 22 June 1978) is an Iranian actress. She got famous when she participated in some of popular Mehran Modiri's soap operas in 90's and 2000's such as Pavarchin and Noghtechin. Her husband is Ni ...

* Laya Zanganeh *

Merila Zarei Merila Zarei ( fa, مریلا زارعی, also Romanized as "Merīlā Zāre'ī"; born April 14, 1974) is an Iranian actress. She is one of the most influential actresses after the Islamic Revolution of Iran, who has acted in the films of great d ...

* Niousha Zeighami * Bahareh Afshari

References

External links

* Deborah Young
"Iranian film 'Shirin' a rewarding challenge"
(Reuters, 2008) * {{Khosrow and Shirin Films directed by Abbas Kiarostami 2008 films Iranian drama films

Cast

See also

References

External links