Secret Ballot

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dave s Set on a desolate Iranian island, an idealistic young woman arrives on election day to collect ballots from the inhabitants. Accompanied by a cynical soldier, the two embark on a journey to bring democracy to the downtrodden, whether they want it or not. Visually, Secret Ballot is stunning, filled with long takes that give the viewer time to absorb the arid beauty of the landscape. While the sly and subtle humor won't be appreciated by all viewers, the film's primary appeal are the performances from the two lead actors who embrace their roles with a quiet but effective gusto. Director Babak Payami shows a lot promise with this offbeat and slightly surreal offering. It's too bad that he doesn't appear to have done much else since its release twenty years ago. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Anxiously awaiting the Iranians getting the government they deserve. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Audience Member A creative Iranian story about woman collecting ballots for an election and sets out on a journey. A bit dry at times, but interesting nonetheless. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member A steadfast solider is satisfied with his standard routine. An independent woman from the city, the new electoral agent, is assigned to obtain votes from scattered citizens living on a small island off the coast of Iran. In the beginning she's focused and adamant about getting every single vote no matter how far they have to travel. The soldier is perturbed by a woman doing this and feels it's a man's "job". He's not used to change...she signals change and the future and he's unnerved. As the day progresses and obstacles mount the female agent becomes subdued and then irritated. As in this country, many people show no interest in voting to change conditions in their society. Excuse after excuse is given and the agent's frustration mounts. You can see subtle shifts in their attitudes as the day progresses. The discussion about the red traffic light (in the middle of the desert) gives the viewer something to think about. A simple movie with deeper messages... Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member My first Iranian film. It seems it was a good choice to start. This has a very subtle surreality to it, so much so that I only started to think about afterwards. I had many questions and wondered what exactly the message of the film was. Does the director think democracy is impossible in Iran? I thought that the performance of the guard was so natural, and wasn't surprised to find that he was an unprofessional, as were all the cast. The two leads have an enchanting chemistry, with no hint of romance. So, without me realising it, this light, deceptively odd film made quite an impression. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member I thought this movie was prett interesting and very different from standard foreign movies. This is one movie that really means something and is very educational despite the pretty slow pace. The sound on the DVD wasn't there when I watched this, but it was still interesting to watch and I could follow what was going on. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Secret Ballot

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