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This Is Not a Film

Play trailer Poster for This Is Not a Film Released Mar 2, 2012 1h 15m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
97% Tomatometer 103 Reviews 69% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi makes a video diary with his phone in response to his government's threats against him.
This Is Not a Film

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Through simple means and filming, This is Not a Film presents a vital political statement and a snapshot of life in Iran as enemy of the state.

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Critics Reviews

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Amy Taubin Film Comment Magazine The result is a great modernist (i.e. reflexive) movie and a portrait of an artist, creatively and without any self-pity, looking for a way to preserve his freedom simply to represent the world as he sees it. Aug 27, 2019 Full Review Amy Taubin Sight & Sound Gave the Cannes festival - and moviemaking itself - an incontestable reason for being. Jul 10, 2018 Full Review Steve Erickson indieWire Melancholy as it is, This Is Not A Film is no pity party. It evokes ennui and anxiety without ever being boring itself. Feb 22, 2018 Full Review Tamma Moksha The Hindu This Is Not a Film is not a film; it is something bigger — a searing critique of the Iranian regime through a camera lens stuck in the house of a prisoner. Jun 10, 2024 Full Review Diego Batlle Otroscines.com A small masterpiece... [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 10/10 Sep 7, 2022 Full Review Dustin Chang ScreenAnarchy This is Not a Film shows that despite the precarious situation- facing censorship and imprisonment, nothing can contain an artist from creating. The result is an intimate and self-reflexive film that transcends it being a mere political statement. Feb 28, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member this is not a GOOD film. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Mostly dull, but has a fascinating undercurrent of artistic rebellion. This guy just can't seem to help himself, his compulsion to film "something" even to a point of possible self incrimination against ridiculous censorship is in a way a silent scream of protest. It sort of reminds me of Mozart's plea in Amadeus to Joseph to let him just write his play, and for the emperor to take out the notes he doesn't like, he just needs to work. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member A sad and enraging, but intriguing and interesting documentary that takes the audience through a day in the life of Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who was put under house arrest by the Iranian government. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member very sad state of affairs for this fillmmaker Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member As engrossing, suspenseful, and poignant as 75 minutes in a guy's apartment can possibly be. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Audience Member This might not be a film, but it is an indictment against oppression, a powerful argument for freedom of speech, and a testament to human ingenuity. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews
This Is Not a Film

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi makes a video diary with his phone in response to his government's threats against him.
Director
Jafar Panahi, Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
Producer
Jafar Panahi
Screenwriter
Jafar Panahi
Distributor
Palisades Tartan
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
Persian
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 2, 2012, Limited
Release Date (DVD)
Feb 26, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$75.5K
Runtime
1h 15m