1. Separation, A ( Jodaeiye Nader az Simin )
Year of Release: 2011
Overall Rating: 3.2 out of 4 stars
Language: Persian
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Asghar Farhadi
Actors: Peyman Moaadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Bayat, Shahab Hosseini
Plot: An Iranian couple face a tough decisions: the wife is determined to leave the country behind in order for their daughter to have a better life, but the husband refused to leave in order to care for his father, who suffers from Alzheimers. Divorce seems like the only option to satisfy both sides.
2. Salesman, The ( Forushande )
Year of Release: 2017
Overall Rating: 3.3 out of 4 stars
Language: Persian
Genre: Drama/Thriller
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Asghar Farhadi
Actors: Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti, Babak Karimi, Mina Sadati
Plot: An Iranian couple are forced out of their crumbling apartment and must find new accommodations. Both are also rehearsing for an upcoming production of Death of a Salesman. Their new apartment, unknown to them, was the former home of a lady of the night - one with many clients. When the wife is alone and a client comes calling - it has a chilling affect on their lives and relationship.
3. Under the Shadow
Year of Release: 2016
Overall Rating: 3.2 out of 4 stars
Language: Persian
Genre: Horror/Thriller
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Babak Anvari
Actors: Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi, Bobby Naderi, Ray Haratian
Plot: Stranded in their flat during the Iran/Iraq war, a young Iranian mother and her daughter are haunted by an evil spirit.
4. Children of Heaven ( Bacheha-Ye aseman )
Year of Release: 1999
Overall Rating: 3.1 out of 4 stars
Language: Persian
Genre: Comedy/Drama
MPAA Rating: PG
Director: Majid Majidi
Actors: Amir Farrokh Hashemian, Mohammad Amir Naji, Bahare Seddiqi, Nafise Jafar-Mohammadi
Plot: Ali has lost his younger sister's shoes at the market. He comes up with a solution until he can somehow find a new pair: they will share his shoes.
5. Close-Up ( Nema-ye Nazdik )
Year of Release: 1999
Overall Rating: 3.2 out of 4 stars
Language: Persian
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: NR
Director: Abbas Kiarostami
Actors: Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Abolfazl Ahankhah, Mehrdad Ahankhah, Monoochehr Ahankhah
Plot: An Iranian man is confused for famous filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf and he decides to go through with the ruse, involving a well-to-do Tehran family. But when his deception is discovered, the family take the man to court.
6. The Stoning of Soraya M.
Year of Release: 2009
Overall Rating: 3.0 out of 4 stars
Language: Persian
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Cyrus Nowrasteh
Actors: Shohreh Aghdashloo, Mozhan Marnò, James Caviezel, Navid Negahban
7. Taxi Tehran ( Jafar Panahi's Taxi )
Year of Release: 2015
Overall Rating: 3.2 out of 4 stars
Language: Persian
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: NR
Director: Jafar Panahi
Actors: Jafar Panahi
8. Blackboards ( Takhté siah )
Year of Release: 2002
Overall Rating: 3.3 out of 4 stars
Language: Persian
Genre: Drama/War
MPAA Rating: NR
Director: Samira Makhmalbaf
Actors: Said Mohamadi, Behnaz Jafari, Bahman Ghobadi, Mohamad Karim Rahmati
Plot: A pair of Kurdish teachers ignore the perils of the Iran-Iraq conflict and wander the hills searching for students. Danger is always close by - but where there are teachers, where will be students.
9. Baran
Year of Release: 2001
Overall Rating: 3.1 out of 4 stars
Language: Persian
Genre: Adventure/Drama
MPAA Rating: PG
Director: Majid Majidi
Actors: Hossein Abedini, Zahra Bahrami, Mohammad Amir Naji, Hossein Mahjoub
Plot: Lateef's hardships increase when he is shifted to heavy labor from being a kitchen help at a construction site in Tehran. The reason being Rahmat, an Afghan boy who has replaced him. Filled with anger, Lateef decides to make life hell for Rahmat. However Lateef soon discovers that Rahmat is indeed a girl named Baran, and gets to know her story. His feelings for her grow while he does everything he can to alleviate her hardships at work. But the love was to be short lived as soon Baran and her family are forced to leave town.
10. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
Year of Release: 2014
Overall Rating: 2.9 out of 4 stars
Language: Persian
Genre: Horror/Romance
MPAA Rating: NR
Director: Ana Lily Amirpour
Actors: Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Marshall Manesh, Mozhan Marnò
Plot: Bad City - an Iranian town that sits lonely and nearly abandoned. The few townspeople that remain are unaware that death comes in many forms - including a solitary vampire who preys quietly on them.
