Children of Heaven

Its funny how two different people can go to the same movie and yet see two different films. I learned this when I watched the 1997 Iranian film Children of Heaven. The movie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film but lost out to Life is Beautiful.

Children of Heaven is a sweet, beautiful tale of two impoverished siblings and the loss of a pair of shoes. When the movie came out it was generally well-received, but there were some critics. For example, critic Dennis Schwartz complained about a lack of dissension with the ruling regime. In fact, he stated that he would have been disappointed with its "simplistic" story if not for the fact that it gave him a chance to see what life in Iran was like. Somehow, though, I doubt that he chastises Hollywood's typical children's fare for failing comment on such pressing social issues as abortion, racism, sexism, militarism, rampant consumerism, bully capitalism, illegal immigration, the destruction of the environment, gay rights, elder rights, stolen elections, or any of the numerous other issues.

Oddly enough, the lack of a political agenda is one of the things that I loved about the movie. The movie felt real because it was rooted in a specific place, but it was a story that anybody could relate to, regardless of where they live. Personally, I loved the realistic interaction between Ali and his sister Zahra. I loved the interaction of the kids and their parents. I loved the fact that the movie wasn't afraid to address issues like poverty and fear and punishment. I just plain loved the fact that people communicated with each other.

So why am I writing about a movie that came out ten years ago? I guess I am nervous about the sounds I keep hearing that indicate the Bush regime wants to take military action against Iran. Now don't get me wrong, I don't want to see an Iranian government with nuclear weapons either, but if bombing and missile attacks were a way to solve anything Iraq and Afghanistan would not be so messed up. I don't care how the legal beagles at the US Justice Department contort international law to put a spin on it -- killing civilians, especially children, is a war crime.

I would love to be able to make all the strategic planners and bomber crewman watch Children of Heaven with their families. Maybe it would help them remember that the children their bombs will murder are not that much different than their own kids. But I suppose that would be a real Hollywood ending, wouldn't it?