The Portrayal of Poverty

Rating: 9/10 (14 February 2007)

This film was something very different for me to view. Coming from an American movie watcher's point of view this movie had a very stark contrast to the usual films that I would see at movie theaters. This wasn't a bad thing it made the film that much more interesting because of the way the story was portrayed.
The basic plot revolves around a pair of shoes. These are the shoes of Zahra the sister of, and one of the main characters, Ali. After Ali has these shoes repaired he ends up losing them because a trash collector, thinking that they were garbage, picks them up. Throughout the movie Ali attempts to track down the shoes while having to share his shoes with Zahra. Their father cannot afford new shoes because they live in poverty. It is very interesting to see what happens while searching for the shoes.
This plot may seem kind of boring, but it the film took this seemingly boring story and actually made it very interesting, even for an American Audience base. Some of this was due in part to the mystery surrounding the whereabouts of the shoes. There was quite a bit of symbolism throughout the entire film. The idea that anytime water is flowing, or you see water, signifies the Will of God or just God himself comes to mind in the context of the Muslim faith. The Muslim faith believes that water symbolizes God and the Will of God. The way the film shoots the water scenes show that it is the will of God to not regain the shoes and in the end to accept that they have been lost. No matter how the children attempt to fight this it keeps coming back to them in new forms. Ali signifies rising up against injustice and even he, the one who will take a stand against oppression, cannot fight the Will of God.
The actors portrayed the roles very well. Even being children, without much acting experience, you believe the portrayal. Also the way in which the film was edited made it seem a bit slower than American films. As well as the camera work and lighting, the film had a feeling of poverty and being in the busy city while the characters sometimes felt out of place.
In the end Children of Heaven is a film which is something that most Americans may not understand, unless given some background. That set aside it is a very good movie. Without some cultural knowledge people may miss some of the symbolism, but the story will still come through to the people who aren't as cultured. The film portrays the struggles of poverty and everyday city life in Iran and puts the world in context. A pair of shoes is more important to these children than being to school on time, looking fashionable or even winning. Something that Americans would find to be trash is something that is cherished and loved by these children.