A Time for Drunken Horses

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A Time for Drunken Horses

Released Sep 13, 2000

1h 20m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

36 Reviews

86%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

The youngest of a destitute Kurdish family has a terminal illness, and his young siblings struggle to pay for a life-saving operation. In desperation, the eldest sister agrees to marry an Iraqi willing to care for the boy. At the border exchange, however, the family of the man rejects the sick boy, putting the siblings in a harrowing race against time.

Tim Robey

Daily Telegraph (UK)

A Time for Drunken Horses is the first Iranian feature with entirely Kurdish dialogue. If that doesn't get queues forming around the block, it should be added that it's a dynamic entry in this ever-growing national canon.

Apr 30, 2024

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Roger Clarke

Independent (UK)

It's hard to criticise a movie with such a laudable humanitarian agenda, or its impoverished director, who virtually stopped eating to make it. Occasionally, though, I felt the story relied a little too heavily on that grim tug at the heartstrings.

Apr 30, 2024

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Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: A-

Sep 7, 2011

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David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

It's a very painful, very beautiful film, made with extraordinary intensity and sincerity.

Jul 9, 2020

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Michael E. Grost

Classic Film and Television

Fascinating inside look at a rarely seen region.

Dec 29, 2015

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Sean Axmaker

Turner Classic Movies Online

... a hard yet visually beautiful portrait of grueling third world lives under the desperation of poverty and the terror of war.

Apr 1, 2011

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Audience Member

Loved everything in this movie. It's very depressing because the story is so real. Keep some tissue paper ready, you might wanna cry.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

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Bahman Ghobadi

Director

Nezhad Ekhtiar-dini

Actor

Amaneh Ekhtiar-dini

Ameneh

Madi Ekhtiar-Dini

Madi

Ayoub Ahmadi

Ayoub

Jouvin Younessi

Rojin

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Synopsis

The youngest of a destitute Kurdish family has a terminal illness, and his young siblings struggle to pay for a life-saving operation. In desperation, the eldest sister agrees to marry an Iraqi willing to care for the boy. At the border exchange, however, the family of the man rejects the sick boy, putting the siblings in a harrowing race against time.

Director: Bahman Ghobadi
Producer: Bahman Ghobadi
Screenwriter: Bahman Ghobadi
Distributor: Shooting Gallery
Production Co: Bahman Ghobadi Films, MK2 Productions, Farabi Cinema Foundation
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Kurdish
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 13, 2000, Original
Release Date (DVD): Feb 15, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $701.5K
Runtime: 1h 20m
Sound Mix: Stereo