Zamani barayé masti asbha (A Time for Drunken Horses)(Intoxication for Horses) poster & wallpaper
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Nezhad Ekhtiar-Dini, Amaneh Ekhtiar-dini, Madi Ekhtiar-Dini, Ayoub Ahmadi, Rojin Younessi ... see more see more... , Jouvin Younessi

Former assistant director to Abbas Kiarostami and star of Samira Makhmalbaf's Blackboards, Bahman Ghobadi makes his directorial debut with this gritty, documentary-like look at Kurdish orphans struggl... read more read more...ing to survive. Shot in the village where the filmmaker grew up, the film unsentimentally depicts how children are packed in trucks and driven to the city to perform such menial jobs as wrapping parcels or, more likely, carrying large boxes like pack mules. Though Ayoub is all of 12 years old, he has become the head of the household, which includes his severely disabled older brother -- who is also deathly ill. In order to pay for an operation that might prolong his life, Ayoub joins a group of smugglers who traffic truck tires to Iraq. Negotiating landmines and dodging border guards, they struggle to get their overburdened mules through snow covered mountains by plying them with alcohol. Later, the eldest sister agrees to marry an Iraqi Kurd, under the belief that the groom's family will pay for the operation. This film was screened at the 2000 Cannes and Toronto film festivals. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

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90% liked it

1,213 ratings

Critics

85% liked it

33 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 20 min.

Directed by: Bahman Ghobadi

Release Date: October 27, 2000

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DVD Release Date: February 15, 2011

Stats: 81 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (81)

  • itsjustme2004
    January 14, 2012
    itsjustme2004
    The abuse of animals, and children in this film is just terrible. I'm not even sure what the heck I was supposed to understand by the ending.
  • mvieaddict
    May 3, 2009
    mvieaddict
    This is one more powerful and deeply affecting films coming from Iran. Using non-professional actors from the region, Ghobadi is able to lay bare the devastating hardships of life in Kurdistan on the Iran-Iraq border. The children are what make this film, though. In particular, ... read moreMadi, the handicapped brother, has an incredibly expressive face. Also, the 12 year old head of the family, Ayoub, shows his love and dedication to his family of brother and sisters in each scene.

    Powerful film and yet another indication that some of the world's best films are coming out of Iran these days.
  • RicC
    November 29, 2010
    RicC
    The unrepentant child labor and flawless collective acting from the child participants make for a startling opening and attention getter. While viewing the children going through the harsh border crossing scenes, you begin to wonder what sort of psychological effects reenacting w... read moreould be caused upon the children, if any, simply by participating in this production. Once the drama equilibrates, you realize there's no end to the poverty, and the problematic decisions that children are faced with. It's mainly young'uns versus a cold reality. Featuring oftentimes breathtaking scenery.
  • merling
    June 29, 2008
    merling
    Not all of the acting is up to snuff, but it's a good story and for me the landscape and the people are quite memorable.

View All Zamani barayé masti asbha (A Time for Drunken Horses)(Intoxication for Horses) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Sean Axmaker
April 1, 2011
Sean Axmaker, Turner Classic Movies Online

... a hard yet visually beautiful portrait of grueling third world lives under the desperation of poverty and the terror of war. Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson
April 2, 2007
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

A powerful first film from Iranian writer/director Bahman Ghobadi. Full Review

Phil Hall
December 8, 2002
Phil Hall, Film Threat

Dull drama from Iran. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
February 7, 2002
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

A very moving film about a desperate people and their love of family. Full Review

Ed Gonzalez
May 2, 2001
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine

An unflinching portrait of familial allegiance and sacrifice. Full Review

Steve Rhodes
April 27, 2001
Steve Rhodes, Internet Reviews

slice-of-life story in which nothing much happens Full Review

Chuck Rudolph
March 23, 2001
Chuck Rudolph, Matinee Magazine

Ghobadi's realist style is indistinguishable from that of many of his Iranian contemporaries. Full Review

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
January 1, 2000
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

Shows how poverty-stricken children are forced at an early age to carry adult responsibilities on their small shoulders. Full Review

Maria Garcia
January 1, 2000
Maria Garcia, Film Journal International

Ghobadi skillfully endears us to the children, whose suffering is never articulated in words. Full Review

John A. Nesbit
January 1, 2000
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews

an intimate glimpse into the impoverished lifestyle of the Kurds living on the borders of northern Iraq Full Review

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