The Runner | Davandeh (1985)

Synopsis

Amiro is a young boy who has lost his home during the war. He spends his days by working odd jobs, until he realizes that the only way that he can realize his dreams is by enrolling in school.

In school, he has conflict with other students. Finally there is a competition to see who can say the whole alphabet in one breath. -- IMDb



Cast: Abbas Nazeri, Majid Niroumand, Musa Torkizadeh

Venice, London, Vancouver, Toronto, San Francisco

Naderi’s greatest international success, “The Runner” – along with Kiarostami’s “Where Is the Friend’s House” – was the film that ignited interest in the post-revolutionary Iranian cinema.

Returning to the southern coastal region of Iran of both his youth and earlier films such as “Waiting” and “Harmonica”, Naderi tells the story of a young orphan, Amiroo (Madjid Niroumand), who lives in an abandoned ship.

He works odd jobs collecting bottles and shining shoes, and even drops into school for a spell. But what seems to fill Amiroo’s life with beauty and purpose is running – simply running, heading off into the distance without any purpose or destination.

As in all of Naderi’s films, the physical elements become major themes in and of themselves, but what gives “The Runner” such special power is his conception of the character of Amiroo.

Wise beyond his years, Amiroo is a survivor whose barely containable energy and exuberance constantly reminds us of the tremendous potential of this young man that will never be fulfilled. -- Lincoln Center

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