Border Cafe (2005)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Mark A

  
  A fascinating look behind the veil of Iranian society. A woman, Reyhan (Fereshteh Sadre Orafaiy), left a widow by the death of her husband, finds herself in opposition to the local traditions. But defy them she does to the eternal frustration and irritation of her brother-in-law,… More
  A fascinating look behind the veil of Iranian society. A woman, Reyhan (Fereshteh Sadre Orafaiy), left a widow by the death of her husband, finds herself in opposition to the local traditions. But defy them she does to the eternal frustration and irritation of her brother-in-law, Nasser (Parviz Parastui). The code of honor by which these people live seems to serve only to keep women subservient to the men and is fueled by a seemingly irrational fear. The story itself is frustrating to this western viewer, and one tends to naturally empathize with the woman, who wraps herself in a quiet dignity in defiance of her family and the community in order to make her own way in the world. One slightly confusing aspect of the filmmaker's choice, is to tell the tale from the point of view of two people who were greatly affected by Reyhan's generosity of spirit, yet the main tale was a direct portrayal. It was not clear whether the main sequences were meant to be flashbacks. But altogether a good solid piece of work from a part of the world that remains largely hidden to western eyes.