Every city has at least one filmmaker who becomes something of its poet laureate, whose films capture the spirit and energy of a particular place, focusing on the people and their day-to-day lives. When it comes to Tehran, we usually tend to associate it with the likes of Abbas Kiarostami, Jafar Panahi or Asghar Farhadi, all of whom are solid choices. However, one director who I think deserves to stand in the same esteem as them is Mohammad Ali Talebi, who may not be particularly well-known outside his native Iran, but who has a firm, consistent track record defined by his originality, complexity and deep humanity, all of which form the foundation for quite a daring body of work. Many consider his masterpiece to be Bag of Rice (Persian: Kise-ye Berenj), a wonderfully exuberant blend of heartfelt comedy and melancholic drama, following the trials and tribulations of an old woman who is accompanied by her young neighbour to complete a very simple task: purchase a bag of rice. What seems to be a straightforward assignment eventually turns into a more challenging adventure for the unlikely pair, who find themselves in a variety of precarious situations, Tehran becoming the backdrop to one of the most moving, compelling examinations of friendship, culture and womanhood to ever emerge out of Iran, and a daring work in terms of both form and structure. Combining several different ideas into a complex and engaging exploration of life in one of the world’s most fascinating countries, Bag of Rice is a surprisingly engaging work that never seems to take itself too seriously, while still being extraordinarily reverent to the city and its people, setting aside all political ideology and elements that would normally sow division, and instead being a celebration of the hardworking individuals that live in the shadows, but who are brought to our attention through this tender and affectionate cinematic tribute.

The best way to describe Bag of Rice is as a parable, as simple and evocative as its title. All art is inherently political, and just about any film made or set in Iran is going to come pre-packaged with some degree of commentary, as it’s one of the most politically complex nations in existence, which doubles when looking at the period following the Iranian Revolution. However, such nuances are nothing more than additional context that bears virtually no relevance to this film, acting as nothing more than subtle historical details that simply set the stage rather than driving the story. Instead, the focus here is on the more human, sentimental aspects of the human condition and how it is rendered in a seemingly very simple story of an old woman and a young girl, who become unlikely companions on a very charming adventure across the city. The structure of the film is what gives Bag of Rice its lustre – the director is not at all concerned with narrative cohesion or traditional approaches to storytelling. There is a goal (the successful purchase of a large bag of rice, and the delivery back home), and everything else is simply leading to that moment. It’s a classic case of a film in which the journey is more important than the destination, and as a series of episodic moments, we observe their picaresque voyage around the city. The focus is on interactions with a wide group of characters, and it’s no mistake that the priority is on women and children, who are notoriously underrepresented as characters in Iranian films, making their centrality to this story a clearly intentional decision by the director, who evidently wanted to celebrate the people who are often absent from these films, yet are vitally important to the functioning of a city. Talebi mostly leaves the political commentary to those who are more invested in it, choosing instead to make Bag of Rice a more subtle and nuanced family-oriented affair, and the results are spellbinding, to say the least, leading to a film that is equal parts insightful and entertaining.

Much of the success of Bag of Rice doesn’t only come from the manner in which Talebi captures the city, but also in the way he creates these characters – the film is teeming with unforgettable performances, anchored by two actors in particular. Masume Eskandari, a veteran of the screen, is the lovable elderly protagonist, whose gumption and stubbornness inspire the events, whereas the young Jairan Abadzade is her minuscule companion, an adorable and feisty little girl who refuses to be limited by her size or lack of experience, secretly revealing a strange sense of world-weariness and wisdom that eclipses that of her older friend, who is surprisingly much more childlike than she appears to be at first. It’s a classic case of the odd couple trope being used to tell such a story – two individuals who are about as different as they could be are paired together and set forward on a quest, coming to depend on one another in hilarious and outrageous ways. The performances themselves are stellar – neither of them is delivering overly dramatic work, but there are nonetheless plenty of moments where they are required to emote (whether in exuberance or sadness), and they’re tremendous, bringing such incredible joy and nuance to a film that essentially depended on them to be successful. The supporting cast is not as notable, since the structure of the film is not designed in a way that we are able to spend much time with any of the secondary characters for particularly long, since they only appear for fleeting moments, making an impression and then leaving. Yet, even those who exist on the margins of the periphery are well-developed, making invaluable contributions to a film that is built on examining human connections in vivid detail, which is accomplished numerous times throughout this delightful and daring work.

At its core, Bag of Rice is a very simple film, and considering it doesn’t hinge on the narrative, a lot of the impact is made through the more subtle, nuanced approach to the emotions, which are central to the film and the primary reason it works so exceptionally well, even when it is somewhat predictable. The structure, as we mentioned, is not particularly revolutionary, nor is the manner in which it handles a variety of its underlying themes – but yet, we still find ourselves absolutely enamoured with this film, which proves to be an unconventional delight primarily as a result of its willingness to plunge the viewer into a state of sheer joy, even when it does have an undercurrent of melancholy that is impossible to ignore. The foundation of Bag of Rice is really the story of two individuals who have been essentially forgotten – one is an old woman at the end of her life, the other a young girl from a large family who is not given much attention. Their friendship is what drives this film, and as a result, we find that Talebi spends a lot of time developing their bond, choosing to draw our attention to some of the underlying emotions, but in a way that is decidedly much more elegant. There are certain moments that are slightly heavy-handed, since some degree of sentimentality is to be expected, based on the story and its execution. However, it’s much more elegant than we would expect, and it never borders on overwrought, instead being as warm and endearing as we would anticipate, rarely going for the low-hanging fruit, but still nonetheless having a sense of familiarity that is absolutely vital to the success of the film, and its underlying brilliance, which is consistently the focus of a narrative that is very much drawn from a place of genuine affection and emotional resonance.

While it may seem simple – almost fatally so – from the surface, Bag of Rice is nonetheless a deeply compelling, engaging examination of the human condition; a delicate wisp of a film weaves together through a combination of socio-cultural commentary, character-based storytelling and pure nostalgia, all of which form the foundation for what is essentially nothing more than a wholeheartedly moving tribute to the women who act as the beating heart and soul of Tehran, a beautiful city that has unfortunately become much less receptive to artistic expression as the years have progressed. It’s not necessarily an exhilarating film in the ways that we would expect – reliability is more important than innovation, and we often find that it falls back on some familiar tropes throughout, which is not necessarily grounds to disqualify it from being viewed as entirely effective and daring, but rather gives the film a sense of consistency that is much more comforting than a more experimental approach. It’s a perfect example of a film marketed to a much wider audience – the joy and melancholy will be appreciated by viewers of all ages, and even more embraced by those of us who have moved past childhood, but still yearn for the joy of youth. Bag of Rice is a simple film reflecting unfurnished, familiar ideas – but it is deeply engaging and beautiful, being well-made and empathetic in a way that we rarely see in contemporary films, where tradition is not given much time to flourish, which is not the case here. A delightful, heartfelt blend of emotions, the film is essential viewing and one of the most surprising entries into a period of Iranian cinema that has proven to be nothing short of groundbreaking.