By Adam Bloodworth
In a wonderful bit of programming, Iranian comedy-drama Winners comes out in the afterglow of the Oscars. While set many miles from Los Angeles, this charming independent movie captures the mystique and awe so many of us witness when looking up at the big screen.
Winners is about the Oscars, or more specifically an Oscar. The shiny gold lump is being transported by an Iranian filmmaker to their home country, but a mix up means it is left in a cab. Through a series of coincidences, the gong ends up in the hands of Yahya (Parsa Maghami), a young boy with a love for movies but no clue as to what an Oscar is.
Unsure of its true worth, he avoids numerous obstacles to find a way for this “doll” (as he and his friend call it) to help his family. There are serious comments from director Hassan Nazer about his home country. Most local characters are too busy with their lives to recognise what the award means (the cab driver initially describes the Oscar as “a man standing politely”).
The film questions the value of such honours if they do not help the people on the ground – if they cannot shine a light on Yahya’s world, where he and other children search through trash mountains in search of value.
At its heart, however, is a celebration of childhood enthusiasm. Young star Maghami is wonderful as a young man who idolises the things he sees on the screen rather than the awards that give them status. There’s many charming conversations about classics of the past, such as Yahya’s employer Saber (Hossein Abedini) insisting he is not ready to watch Cinema Paradiso.
Cinephiles will relate to the relentless search for rarities, and endless discussions about the latest viewing. Beautifully mixing innocence with harsh reality, Winners is a small film with the heart of a hundred awards contenders. While the script is a conversation rather than a manifesto, the running time flies by.
Winners is in selected cinemas now
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