User reviews

It's the most realistic narrated movie about Iran and our crap regime...

Of course its visual and some things about it can be more realistic and much more beautiful but there are lots of things in it that history must to know about!

By the way it's an adult oriented movie and not a family movie, be careful there are lots of inappropriate stuff in it for children like sex, abortion, porn, drugs, adultery, suicide, prostitution, strong language... I'm saying that because it's an animation and can 'cos misunderstanding sometimes.

It's a really suffocating experience to live in Iran. it's good to know that people from other countries know about it and care about it, they can see it in these kinda movies and try to avoid it in their countries, I mean don't let Islam or any other religion ruin your country like ours...!

'Tehran Taboo' is a film that could not have been made in Iran today. Its creator, film director and animator Ali Soozandeh lives in exile, and the film was made in Germany and Austria in 2017. The action takes place in Tehran today, a metropolis with many modern aspects (architecture, traffic, advertising), but also a city controlled and dominated by the laws of the Islamic Republic. Contemporary Iranian cinematography has managed to bring this city and some of the political problems and moral dilemmas of its inhabitants to the screen in many films, some remarkable, but no overt criticism, nor open approach to sexuality and issues related to women's status, could have appeared so directly in a movie produced in Iran. By the technique chosen (animation derived from filmed acting, called in specialized terminology 'computerized rotoscoping'), Soozandeh manages to create a film which looks modern as means of expression, and which exposes openly, almost exhibitionistly, some of the themes that are prohibited or difficult to tackle for film makers living and creating in Iran.

In many ways, Ali Soozandeh's film resembles the films of his colleagues filming in Iran. Tehran streets, taxis, house interiors, confrontations with religious authorities, strict norms of Islamic morality, family issues - all are familiar to those who watch contemporary Iranian films. The decor is the same, but the stories are different. There are first of all female stories related to the situation of women in a country where these are subject to double discrimination - the political one togrther with men, the social one because of their status as women in a society in which the family laws but also the economic or professional ones subordinates the women to the will of men (husbands, fathers, brothers). Far from ensuring the moral tranquility and the social security desired by the authorities, repression creates an entire underground world characterized by corruption, domestic violence, prostitution, drugs. Can ordinary citizens and especially today's young people in Iran lead a normal life? The point of view is quite pessimistic - from the current situation there seem to be only two exit gates: exile or death.

Ali Soozandeh continues and extends the trend of using animation as a format for political docu-drama. It is very interesting to note that the source of this trend and some of its major achievements originate in the Middle East. Both Marjane Satrapi, the author of 'Persepolis', also an Iranian who lives and works in exile, and the Israeli Ari Folman, the author of 'Waltz with Bashir' come from cultures in which the imagery of the human figure is forbidden. Their approach to animation is determined not only by the desire to use a form of popular culture that has become quasi-universal, but also as a gesture of artistic frond and distancing from constraining traditions. 'Tehran Taboo' succeeds both artistically and politically, capturing the attention and sending a message of defiance and a cry for help. The film looks good from an aesthetic point of view. Its female characters very well developed, especially for an animated movie, and are memorable - full of humanity, dignity, humor. Through his animation, defying the prohibitions and bringing up the taboos that his colleagues cannot speak about as openly, Soozandeh continues and complements the works of today's other filmmakers in Iran.

Exploring the sexual & gender double standards in contemporary Iran, all resulting from their strict religious codes, Tehran Taboo paints a thoroughly fascinating portrait of everyday life lived in the bustling modern metropolis where breaking societal taboos has now become the only way for its people to achieve freedom & happiness.

With all the clever and beautiful aspects of the movie, there are still basic details that are not observed and it is because the makers do not live in Iran.

A powerful film that leaves the viewer completely appalled at the end. Rotoscoping is ideally suited to this film by allowing the viewer to focus on the action and dialogues without being distracted by the details of untransformed images. This lets the viewer realize how religions, especially that which prevails in Iran and elsewhere, have been invented to control people, especially women. In Tehran Taboo, religion is clearly exposed as a catalyst used by criminally insane authorities to facilitate their crimes. Made me glad to be an atheist.

A great movie showing the problems of Iranians in these days. It's so sad that these are really happening. An interesting choice was Zahra Amir Ebrahimi who was the victim of this Iranian morality that forced her to leave Iran. She was a victim of the same thing in the movie, too.

This animated movie depicts the consequences of prostitution, drugs, physical contact prior to marriage, equality of genders, religion, and the importance of virginity. The colors used in the movie are not bright and colorful and from watching the movie one can understand why. A woman needing her husband's written consent and for him to deliver it in person to get a job or to enroll a child in school in unreal.

A bit slow at times but overall good storyline, good graphics. Interesting view of Iranian today situation

As an Iranian citizen ,who lives in the southern parts oc tehran , I can assure you that it is'nt the Reality in Iran/Tehran and the director hugely emphasizes the dark side of Iran ( maybe to get foreign critics attention . )Although I like its rotoscopic techique for animation and also some profanity which is included in this movie makes it more realistic (as in common Iranian movies profanity is'nt used) Conclusion : It is good to watch if you don't consider it real. (Sorry for bad English)

...one of the most powerful and provocative and useful. Its subject - the freedom. Not only in Iran but as escape from hypocrisy, fear, pressures and fear. Lives . And decisions controlling aspects defining them. Great animation, solid stories, special manner to explore the near reality. And tools for defining it. At first sigh, a film against oppression of religion. In essence, a pledge for accept the rights of the other. Well crafted, it remains a time in memory for the atmosphere. And for the clear, honest message.

A very interesting film to say the least a MUST WATCH!!! it captures the emotions of the characters very well and the voice actors have done an excellent job. BRILLIANT FILM.. a message for the producers and director we are waiting for TEHRAN TABOO PART 2

An honest portrayal of contemporary Iran, and it's backlashes the people must bear from exploitation of religion and lack of freedom. Please give this a watch.

A wonderful social drama film (animation) that explains the truths of life in Tehran and Islamic Republic of IRAN as a whole.

It shows well the problems: social, political, economic and gender differences in Islamic Republic of Iran well.

The director and writer were of the problems inside ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN and the great city of TEHRAN and were able to show these problems well.

I really enjoyed watching this Movie (animation) even though was really nervous to see so many problems.

I am sure that all Iranian's and learn about the problems of ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN.

I hope you enjoy it too.

SINA1990.

The idea of an animated film through rotoscope made the frames eye catching and interesting to watch. It also helped to make the movie more believable since it has not been shot in Tehran. But the story has been superficially narrated and has not gone to more than a collage of the misery of a nation.

The spectator cannot sympathize with the characters, since there is just a lot of unfortunate incidents taking place one after another, without answering fundamental questions. For instance, why is the boy mute? Is it congenital or has anything happened to him? Why does the woman become a prostitute? Why has the neighbor aborted her child two times? The movie COULD make us to take SOME of the conditions for granted, but the questions are too many and the story seems to be a realistic one.

The director/writer could instead take few of the issues that he brought up in the movie, and just develop the story around them, instead of narrating all of the misery one after another. Unfortunately this type of story telling makes the movie not last for long and be only useful to win awards.

Don't waste your time watching this. The movie offers nothing new. It's just another cliché about social matters in Iran. A cliché can be well-made and realistic, but this film is not. The beginning scene is so awful, just like rest of it. This is not Iran. Everything is so awfully exaggerated about Iran's society in this film. What is the director trying to say? That Iranians are living in a very bad condition because of the current government or something? That the society is very corrupt? Unfortunately, the new trend in the Iranian filmmaking industry is much more corrupt than the society this film tries to demonstrate. I think films like this spoil the art of filmmaking and cinema. It's just worthless.

Extremely pessimistic, Tehran Taboo wants to say everybody in Iran is corrupted because of the theocracy in the Islamic Republic of Iran. From the point of view of this animation, everybody who lives in Iran is a lier, disgusting, insinuating, maniac, selfish and egocentric. But it is just a cartoon and doesn't show the real-life in Iran. Unfortunately, the international festivals gave some rewards to this animation so the one who doesn't know the truth about Iranian real people and their lives may believe that all the issues in Tehran Taboo is base on reality.

In present day Teheran, stories of multiple characters intertwine, presenting their everyday lives and their search of freedom and happiness. Although living in a very strict regime, plenty of acts, defined as taboo, undergo in the same place, providing an alternate way for people to reach their goals.

It's a dark and also sad story about discrimination, especially towards women, which basically are not allowed to do anything without their husband's permission. Thus, some are forced to take desperate measures, venturing into places where different "shortcuts" can be taken with the right amount of cash, of course. As you're about to see, the black market can be full of surprises, more or less pleasant, depending on the case.

It's a movie which describes in detail the struggles of Islamic women through the eyes of multiple characters. The story is far from impressive but I believe it delivers what it tries to. It shows the struggles, the ordeals that its characters, not very well described I have to add, have to face, hoping for a better life. The events are presented in parallel, in a very slow and boring manner, letting you wait a long time for something to happen. You can see it as a series of ordinary events, but it's not. Unfortunately, this is the impression that it leaves. Think of it as if it were to tell the boring story of someone's repetitive life, but with the emphasis on the ugly part. I understand that it's a very harsh life, full of discrimination, corruption and lots of other ugly aspects, but it would have been much better suited as a documentary. As a movie, it simply is boring as hell. Nothing interesting to be seen, mostly predictable, with boring characters and a mediocre story. Not to mention that the finale is as disappointing (if not worse) as the rest of the film, due to its sudden appearance, bringing little to no conclusion to the stories.

You could find a good part in the visual department but as far as I'm concerned, it left much to be desired. It's an unique approach regarding this department, but one which didn't impress me at all. It's just OK. No pluses and no minuses.

As a conclusion, I had better expectations from this movie regarding every single angle. I've seen a documentary disguised as an animation for the mature audience which didn't manage to bring anything that can make it worthwhile to be seen.

This movie was an extremely dark and unrealistic take of life in Iran. Almost every plot detail was malicious and defamatory. I strongly advise against watching this if you have not visited Iran and have not seen the wonderful people and the culture up close yourself. It will leave you with a very bitter (and completely false) impression. You would be wiser to watch some more factual movies about Iran, particularly some documentaries regarding the history, culture, poetry, cuisine, scientific breakthroughs, hospitable people, and wonderful traditions.

Story: 1. The reality of the story: If you have any doubt that this movie is a big lie about Iran, just surf the internet and watch the films that tourists recorded and experienced in Iran As I said, it is a big lie.

That means about all of the scenes which are in this movie, is fictional and you won't see them in the real life in Iran.

2. The quality of story: You will see the bad scenses occure after each other for no reason It will make you to feel bad .