HIT THE ROAD (2021)
[JADDEH KHAKI]
Panah Panahi, son and collaborator of embattled Iranian master filmmaker Jafar Panahi, makes a striking feature debut with this charming, sharp-witted and deeply moving comic drama. HIT THE ROAD takes the tradition of the Iranian road-trip movie and adds unexpected twists and turns. It follows a family of four — two middle-aged parents and their sons, one a taciturn adult, the other an ebullient six-year-old — as they drive across the Iranian countryside. Over the course of the trip, they bond over memories of the past, grapple with fears of the unknown and fuss over their sick dog. Unspoken tensions arise and the film builds emotional momentum as it slowly reveals the furtive purpose for their journey. The result is a humanist drama that offers an authentic, raw and deeply sincere observation of an Iranian family preparing to part with one of their own. (Note courtesy of Kino Lorber.) Winner, Best Film, 2021 London Film Festival. Official Selection, 2021 AFI FEST, New York and Cannes film festivals. DIR/SCR/PROD Panah Panahi; PROD Mastaneh Mohajer, Jafar Panahi. Iran, 2021, color, 93 min. In English and Persian with English subtitles. NOT RATED
AFI Member passes accepted.
Run Time: 93 Minutes
Opening Date: Thursday, April 07, 2022
Genre: Comedy-drama
