Not only as a film critic, as someone that is under the spell of the silver screen, I love movies with fresh and new ideas. I rather watch an unperfect film that has a flame inside than a perfect cold movie. That is why watching Soroush Sehat’s Dance With Me! I loved it and enjoyed it, even if it has some flows and could have been even a better film. But it is one of the rare films from new wave of the Iranian films that does not have Asghar Farhadi or Abbas Kia Rostami syndrome. It stands well on its own feet as an independent film like brilliant movie such as Saeed Roustayi’s Just 6.5 and Houman Seyyedi’s Sheeple .
The main character of the film Jahan, a middle age intellectual suffering from a fatal disease, lives in villa surrounded by trees, hills and the see. Jahan’s friends show up at his door to celebrate his birthday and meanwhile new loves blossoms and old sounds reopen and creates conflicts among friends. But Jahan starts to recognize his love for life.
Dance With Me!, carries a delicate and clever humor both visually and in dialogues (except for just a few cheap jokes and repetitive uninteresting dance scenes) that makes the film remarkably entertaining. An imaginary musical band appears every now and then and connects us to Jahan’s state of mind and feelings. Here and in those scenes, Soroush Sehat shines as a director with a great imagination and good taste. The more Dance With Me!.becomes personal and deals with the ideas of death and life in the second half of the films, the more enjoyable it becomes.
Sina Kermanizadeh cinematography is just breathtaking and beautiful, all performances are great and I love the ending of the film. Dance With Me! is the sign of the birth of another talented and creative Iranian filmmaker. I strongly recommend this beautiful film.
In the original title of the film (Jahan Ba Man Beraghss, Dance With Me Jahan) “Jahan” is the name of the main character and at the same time in Farsi iit means “universe” and the question is “will the universe dances with Jahan?”
DANCE WITH ME
(Jahan, Ba Man Beraghs/ جهان، با من برقص )
Drama/Comedy, 2019, Iran, 94 min, Persian with English Subs
Director: Soroush Sehat (سروش صحت)
Writer: Soroush Sehat, Iman Safaei
Producer: Mohammadreza Takhtkeshian
Screenwriter: Soroush Sehat – Iman Safaei
DOP / Camera: Sina Kermanizadeh
Editor: Khashayar Movahedian
Music: Maziar Younesi
Production Designer: Mehdi Mousavi
Producer: Mohammadreza Takhtkeshian
Cast: Ali Mosaffa, Javad Ezati, Hanieh Tavassoli, Pejman Jamshidi, Siavash Cheraghipour, Kazem Sayahi, Mehrab Ghasemkhani, Ramin Sadighi, Bahar Katouzi, Pavan Afsar, Shiva Balouchi, Mahyar Pour Babaei.
Soroush Sehat was born in 1965 in Esfahan. He hold BA in Chemistry and MA in Marine Pollution. For many years he has been working as actor and script writer in cinema and television.
Dance with Me! is his feature debut after many years of experience in making popular TV series. As script writer he has worked with famous filmmakers such as Farzad Motamen and Kioumars Pourahmad and as an actor he appeared in films directed by Behrouz Afkhami, Abolhasan Davoodi and Behnam Behzadi.
Showtime:
– Landmark Bethesda Row, MD
THU FEB 27, 7:30pm (ON SALE NOW)
– Bow Tie Cinemas, Reston T.C, VA
SUN MAR 1, 5pm (Tickets ON SALE NOW)
Ticket & info: .darichehcinema.com
This article will be followed by an interview with Soroush Sehat in a near future