Persian Lessons

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Persian Lessons

Released Jun 9, 2023

2h 7m

History

Drama

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80%

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49 Reviews

90%

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50+ Ratings

Set in occupied France in 1942, Persian Lessons follows Gilles (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart), a Belgian Jew, who narrowly avoids sudden execution by swearing to the guards that he's Persian, not Jewish. While the lie temporarily saves him, Gilles is then assigned the extraordinary task of teaching Farsi, a language he doesn't know, to Koch (Lars Eidinger), the officer in charge of the camp's kitchen who dreams of opening a restaurant in Iran once the war is over. Through an inspired and clever deception, Giles not only manages to survive, but also devises an astonishing strategy to remember the names of his condemned brethren.

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Critics Consensus

Persian Lessons is somewhat dramatically contrived, but it remains an effectively tense drama that's elevated by Nahuel Pérez Biscayart's performance.

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Christina Newland

iNews.co.uk

Persian Lessons focuses less on a parade of unspeakable violence, which we are all aware of, and more on the victim’s survivor’s guilt, the victimiser’s murderous self-delusion, and the muddied waters of the human relationship between the two.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 23, 2024

Full Review

Maxwell Rabb

Chicago Reader

The war drama could have been powerful and human, but too much distracts from the central narrative.

Jun 23, 2023

Full Review

Rex Reed

Observer

Not a great film, but in many ways extraordinary, unpredictable, and memorable.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 21, 2023

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Clotilde Chinnici

Loud and Clear Reviews

The film is also an interesting reflection on languages. Not only does the audience hear multiple languages spoken in the camp, such as German, French, and Italian to name a few, but the movie also delivers a lesson in linguistics.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 15, 2024

Full Review

Daryl MacDonald

InSession Film

It’s a worthwhile watch for the fantastic performances of its central leads, and if you can let go of the glaringly obvious language plot holes, then you may find Persian Lessons a thrilling addition to the ever increasing genre of Holocaust movies.

Rated: C+

Apr 26, 2024

Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

There are moments of suspense, as when a real Farsi-speaking Persian winds up in the camp, and moments of beauty, as we watch Reza choose names for each hungry prisoner. But the heart of the piece is the growing relationship between Reza and Klaus.

Rated: 3.5/4

Aug 5, 2023

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Hankster

So we will never forget.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/09/23

Full Review

Исмаил Ш

"Persian Lessons" is simply incredible! The film really captivated me with its originality and tension. The story about Gilles, who has to invent a language on the fly to survive in the camp, is something else! Just imagine yourself in his place: every day, you have to come up with ways to keep your cover from being blown. The actors did an amazing job. Nahuel Pérez Biscayart as Gilles is truly impressive. His character is so convincing that you can practically feel the blend of fear and hope. I should point out that the film is not just about war and suffering but also about how resourcefulness and a bit of luck can help you survive. So, if you’re looking for something unconventional and deeply moving, "Persian Lessons" is a must-watch. It's a story that makes you think about life, people, and how even in the darkest places, you can find light. I highly recommend watching it!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/13/24

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Judy B

Gripping, compelling, amazing performances from all involved. Lars Eidinger has got to be one of my favorite foreign actors. "Reza", played by Nahuel Perez Biscayart, was terrific as well. We wouldn't get up from the couch to even refill our wine glasses because we didn't want to miss a second of this. Don't want to give too much away, but suffice it to say that of all the WWII movies I've seen, this was different, suspenseful, and very moving. If you haven't see the amazing Lars Eidinger, check out his performances in "All the Light We Cannot See" and the "Sunflower" episode of "Foyle's War."

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/18/24

Full Review

Laura S

The comeuppance by the end is all bittersweet, hilarious and deserved. The dynamic between the holocaust captive and the nazi captor becomes more intriguingly complicated the more they get to know each other. Too bad the side characters are left underdeveloped, the B and C plots would have been more interesting had they delved deeper into the characterisations.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/03/24

Full Review

David H

I enjoy an occasional Holocaust-era film, but the genre does seem to be about done to death now after all these decades. Nevertheless, this was a unique Holocaust story, and it was interesting to watch a language being created out of whole cloth as the main character struggled to create a pathway to his own survival in the face of almost insurmountable odds.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/16/23

Full Review

Gordon G

I don't usually like films with this tragic setting and it is very far-fetched to say the least. However, the story drags you in and there are some clever twists. Worth watching and lingers in the mind.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/10/23

Full Review

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Vadim Perelman

Director

Nahuel Pérez Biscayart

Gilles

Lars Eidinger

Klaus Koch

Jonas Nay

Max

Leonie Benesch

Elsa

Alexander Beyer

Commandant

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Persian Lessons: Trailer 1

1:38

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Synopsis

Set in occupied France in 1942, Persian Lessons follows Gilles (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart), a Belgian Jew, who narrowly avoids sudden execution by swearing to the guards that he's Persian, not Jewish. While the lie temporarily saves him, Gilles is then assigned the extraordinary task of teaching Farsi, a language he doesn't know, to Koch (Lars Eidinger), the officer in charge of the camp's kitchen who dreams of opening a restaurant in Iran once the war is over. Through an inspired and clever deception, Giles not only manages to survive, but also devises an astonishing strategy to remember the names of his condemned brethren.

Director: Vadim Perelman
Producer: Ilya Stewart, Murad Osmann, Pavel Burian, Ilja Zofin, Vadim Perelman, Timur Bekmambetov, Rauf Atamalibekov
Screenwriter: Ilja Zofin
Distributor: Cohen Media Group
Production Co: Belarusfilm, Hype Film, One Two Films, LM Media
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: German
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 9, 2023, Limited
Runtime: 2h 7m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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