Shirin

Although Abbas Kiarostami is an influential voice in contemporary Iranian cinema, his recent work has tended toward the idiosyncratic or merely bizarre. Shirin offers a medieval tale about a romantic triangle involving an Armenian princess, an Iranian king, and a stonecutter—but the viewer doesn't actually see that story unfold. While the impassioned dialogue, throbbing background score, and clattering sound effects during a purported film screening are all audible, the camera focuses on the women watching it in a theater, shifting from face to face to capture changes of expression, as the women smile at scenes of romance, cringe during battle sequences, and weep over the tragic finale. Kiarostami's purpose is obviously to say something about the relationship between a film and its audience, as well as reflect the feelings of Iranian women (although one of the viewers is, in fact, French actress Juliette Binoche). Shirin is an experimental film that will seem either poetic and mesmerizing, or self-indulgent and tedious, depending on the viewer. But despite his eccentricity, Kiarostami is a notable artist, and his work deserves attention. Recommended. (F. Swietek)