Blackboards poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Bahman Ghobadi, Behnaz Jafari, Mohamad Karim Rahmati, Rafat Moradi, Saeed Mohamadi ...( see more  see more... ) , Said Mohamadi

In a ravaged, brutally beautiful mountain landscape along the Iran-Iraq border, a group of teachers, with blackboards strapped to their backs, roam the countryside in search of pupils. After an attack...( read more  read more... ) by an army helicopter, two of the teachers, Said and Reeboir, separate from the group. Reeboir travels the dirt roads with a gang of illiterate boys who smuggle stolen goods across the border. Meanwhile, Said joins up with a group of old and tired men who, after years of being refugees, struggle to get back across the border to their bombed village of Halabcheh. Virtually none of the Kurds express an interest in learning to read or write, but the teachers' blackboards are pressed into service in a variety of other ways: camouflage, a stretcher, a splint for a broken leg, as well as providing shelter and protection from the frequent bursts of gunfire from the border troops. Still, Said and Reeboir persevere in their effort to educate anyone who is willing to learn. In a world filled with hardship and ignorance, the two teachers offer hope, kindness and the blessing of knowledge.

Flixster Users

67% liked it

1,036 ratings

Critics

74% liked it

34 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 25 min.

Directed by: Samira Makhmalbaf

Release Date: December 6, 2002

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: February 17, 2004

Stats: 55 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

None yet... Got one?

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (55)

  • quichefolle
    September 15, 2008
    quichefolle
    Pas besoin de longs discours pour faire passer un message ! Bravo
  • uf12
    March 31, 2008
    uf12
    Samira Makhmalbaf daughter of Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf has proven her direction skills in BLACKBOARD. The movie is about Kurd refugee teachers who are seeking students around the border to educate them and can feed themselves in return. One of the teachers met a teenag...( read more)er group of smugglers who smuggles goods from Iraq to Iran. The other teacher met a group of old men who wants to get back to their land to be buried in the mud of their homeland.
    "Blackboards" shows a reality that everyone is powerless to change. Even these teachers can't make a dent. This is not a movie for just everyone. You must be able to handle the slow and different way of storytelling to appreciate this movie fully.
    The opening scene of the film shows ten new teachers setting out to catch students. Wooden blackboards strapped to their backs, they climb among the mountains, dodging bullets themselves. The movie depicts that the hunger and the insecurity of the people had left no room for education.
    The movie is good looking, with its never-ending, landscapes and good camera positions to tell the story with. Its filmed with handhold camera, with lots of long sequences It works good for a realism. The dialogue is realistic, though not always interesting. I mean they basically say the same things five times in a row in this movie, which perhaps is a bit irritating. This is also due to the non-professional actors that play in this movie
    But on the other hand it's the story that still makes this a pleasant movie to watch. The subject is a bit heavy and serious. Still the end result is a good and not heavy to watch movie that is absolutely worth seeing but lacking in real emotions or depth to make a true lasting impression.
  • nkzaccari
    September 6, 2007
    nkzaccari
    Samira is a very interesting director. like her movies, i find you like her or you dont. i am in like!!
  • gnadia
    June 6, 2007
    gnadia
    The role of Halaleh is now pretty much my favorite role in all movies of all time. Ever. All time. *And the director is a 20-year-old female*.
  • danperryuk2003
    April 8, 2007
    danperryuk2003
    I need to see this film again as i am unsure about it

View All Blackboards Reviews

Critic Reviews

No recent reviews.

View more Blackboards reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments

This board looks lonely. Be the first to talk about "Blackboards" !

Post A Comment | View All Comments

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

All Rotten Tomatoes content is used under license from Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes, Certified Fresh, and the Tomatometer are the trademarks of Incfusion Corporation, d/b/a Rotten Tomatoes, a subsidiary of IGN Entertainment, Inc.

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Stray Dogs (Sag-haye velgard)
    Stray Dogs (Sag-haye velgard) (100%)
  • Buda as sharm foru rikht (Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame)
    Buda as sharm foru rikht (Buddha Collapsed Ou... (100%)
  • The Apple (Sib)
    The Apple (Sib) (100%)
  • The Kite Runner
    The Kite Runner (100%)

More Movies like Blackboards

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Blackboards : Watch Free on TV

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for Blackboards. Want to create one?

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add Blackboards to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?