125 Years Memory
Two historical incidents that deepened the friendship between Japan and Turkey are connected in this story of friendship and compassion: In the night of 16 September 1890 the Turkish frigate Ertuğrul is caught up in a typhoon and sinks off the Japanese coast. Risking their own lives, local villagers are able to rescue 69 Turkish sailors. Although being very poor and having hardly to eat, the villagers share what little they have with strangers from a country 9,000 kilometers away. 95 years later, during the Iran-Iraq War, more than 300 Japanese are stranded in Tehran. In the morning of 19 March 1985 a Turkish Airlines aircraft takes off for Tehran to evacuate the Japanese. But the remaining Turks at Tehran Mehrabad Airport still need to be convinced that they won't be able to board their own country's rescue flight.
Insights
Plot Summary
In a dystopian future where Iran has been flooded, a woman seeks to leave the country and join her husband abroad. However, she is repeatedly obstructed by various bureaucratic and societal hurdles. As she navigates these challenges, she confronts the harsh realities of her homeland and the difficult choices faced by its citizens.
Critical Reception
Mohammad Rasoulof's '125 Years Memory' is a powerful and thought-provoking dystopian drama that uses its allegorical setting to comment on contemporary Iranian society. While acclaimed for its strong direction and performances, the film's bleak tone and deliberate pacing have been noted by some critics.
What Reviewers Say
- Praised for its ambitious, allegorical storytelling.
- Noted for its strong directorial vision and impactful performances.
- Some found the pacing slow and the atmosphere overwhelmingly bleak.
Google audience: Information on Google user reviews is not readily available.
Awards & Accolades
Selected for screening at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Fun Fact
The film's stark depiction of a flooded Iran serves as a potent metaphor for the societal and political stagnation experienced by its people.
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