Poulet aux Prunes (Chicken with Plums) - (2011)

Poulet aux Prunes Iran Film Review

Poulet aux Prunes is a French foreign language film based in 1958 Tehran, Iran.

The film itself is an adaptation of the graphic novel (of the same name) created by Franco-Iranian Marjane Satrapi. 

Together Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud directed the film in 2011.

Synopsis


The film's main character is Nasser-Ali Khan, who in his glory days was a famous violinist.


For him playing the violin and music is everything. When his prized violin is shattered beyond repair in a fight with his wife, Nasser-Ali decides to die.

The film follows Nasser's next eight days as he contemplates how he should die, travelling deep into his thoughts, memories and how he came to this point in his life.

Important Themes


As grim as that introduction to the film may sound, Poulet aux Prunes is a comedy just as much a drama.


Dark comedy and satire are prevalent throughout the entirety of the film as death, love, lust, fantasy, curiosity and confusion are all intertwined as the viewer embarks on an emotional voyage into Nasser-Ali's mind through his memories.

To many, the film may seem like a broken love story and hard to follow. But I enjoyed the metaphorical applications that Poulet aux Prunes personified with Nasser-Ali's relationship with music and love. In this film they are one of the same!

Nasser-Ali may not just be heart-broken because he cannot make music anymore, but his music serves as his physical embodiment of love. And that is important to understand.

My favourite part of Poulet aux Prunes was that the casted actors all came from Iranian or Mediterranean decent (which regrettably is something you rarely ever see in film today).

The film romanticizes the liberal characteristics of Iran in the 1950's and makes reference to Iranian art, music, food and traditions before they had been altered by both Western influences and by the growth and establishment of the Iranian Islamic regime.



Conclusion


As a whole Poulet aux Prunes is a quirky film that touches on the complications we pair with love and how we associate it in our lives.

Poulet aux Prunes is both a dark comedy and a romance film.


I recommend anyone interested in French film to give it a watch.

It tells a very unique story and a very Parisian romanticized take of Iran in the mid 20th century.

Ali Tamachi

Alik is a marketer and writer who creates compelling "chef's kiss" worthy marketing and advertising collateral. Outside of his professional setting he is a big film nerd, loves reading, running and doing digital art. Feel free to follow him on his journey from the links below.

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