Director: Jafar Panahi
Script: Abbas Kiarostami after an original idea by Jafar Panahi and Parviz Shahbazi
Cinematographer: Farzad Jowdat
Editing: Jafar Panahi
Sound: Mojtaba Mortazavi, Saïd Ahmadi
Cast: A. Mohammadkhani, Mohsen Kalifi, F. Sadr Orfani, Anna Bourkowska, M. Shahani, M. Bakhtiari
Production: Irib
Distribution:
Diaphana
155 rue du Fbg St Antoine
75011 Paris
France
Tel: 0033 1.53.46.66.66
Fax: 0033 1.53.46.62.29
Mail: [email protected]
www.diaphana.fr
Year: 1995
35 mm, Colour, 85 mn,
OV Farsi with French Subtitles
Directors' Forthnight - Cannes Film Festival 1995
Caméra d'or
On 21st March every year, on the first day of spring, Nowrooz is celebrated in Iran.
Razieh is a seven-year-old girl who dreams to have a goldfish, in the tradition of the festival. With the help of her brother, she convinces her mother to give her last banknote, and rushes to buy this fish she dreams of which is far more beautiful than those in the family pond. In the city's crowded streets, she loses her money. She searches the whole place; time is short before the festival starts. Suddenly, she sees the note behind a cellar window. It is impossible to catch it. Her brother helps her to call upon the nearby shop keeper, a serviceman, this is unsuccessful. The solution comes from a young Afghan boy, a refugee, who sells balloons.
The White Balloon was selected at the Director's Fortnight in Cannes Festival in 1995 where the film got the Caméra d'Or Award.