No One Knows About Persian Cats

Original title: Kasi az gorbehaye irani khabar nadareh

2009
1h 46m

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

7.5K

YOUR RATING

Negar Shaghaghi and Ashkan Koshanejad in No One Knows About Persian Cats (2009)

Iranian musicians Negar and Ashkan look for band members to play at a London concert ... and the visa that allows them to leave Tehran to do so.

Play trailer2:19

2 Videos

10 Photos

Drama Music

Iranian musicians Negar and Ashkan look for band members to play at a London concert - and the visas that allow them to leave Tehran to do so.Iranian musicians Negar and Ashkan look for band members to play at a London concert - and the visas that allow them to leave Tehran to do so.Iranian musicians Negar and Ashkan look for band members to play at a London concert - and the visas that allow them to leave Tehran to do so.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

7.5K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 8 wins & 5 nominations total

Trivia
The film was shot in 17 days, including night work. The two lead actors fled Iran after the last shooting day. During filming, Ghobadi and his actors were arrested twice but released after giving presents to the authorities and lying about the real subject of the film.

Goofs
Hamad Sevved sits down carrying a crying kitten and a mother cat jumps up on a chair nearby. In the next shot the mother cat is in Hamad's lap, jumping down. She comes back and takes the kitten away, but in the next shot Hamad has the kitten again in his lap.

Quotes
Babak: You've made it big. I hear you were on MTV. They talked about the concert - "blood-drinking and devil-worshipping..."
Negar: That's how they work. They try to smear musicians and lock them up.

Connections
Featured in At the Movies: Cannes Film Festival 2009 (2009)

Soundtracks
Human Jungle
Performed by Take It Easy Hospital

User reviews16

Review

Featured review

8/10

Wonderful insight into the personal struggle for a little life in Iran

This wonderful film feels more like half film and half documentary. We follow the main couple (Negar & Ashkan) as they hunt around to be able to get passports to enable them to get to London for a music gig and get away from Iran.

Their band plays Indie Rock music and they take us through the underground landscape in Iran showing us a metal band and other alternative bands who have to play their music hidden from the authorities (who otherwise would jail them and take away their instruments).

The music is surprisingly quite brilliant and you will empathise with the musicians. One of the best parts of the films is a rap song done by a local artist which takes us on a journey through life in Tehran showing us life at street level for people there. It was worth it alone.

As for acting and story, it's very good and simple. You see the frustration of all as they fight to live a free life in an atmosphere of fear. You can just feel the tension at times. Our leads really never over do it as could have been the risk in such a movie, but they are very ably assisted by a wonderful vast myriad of characters in the film which never seem to step on each others toes. It's like you have just met the whole family.

It's a terrific film and very enlightening. It's also very humbling, and one I would recommend you give a chance. Definitely more deserve to hear about the Persian Cats.