Review of Blackboards (2000) by Michael K — 31 Dec 2007

Interesting story about school teachers on the Iran/Iraq border without schools to teach in, so they carry blackboards around with them to earn a living teaching children and adults whenever and wherever possible.

Using non-professional actors the premise is based on events that have happened in and around the border as towns had been bombed by Iraqi forces leaving many homeless. Although there's a straight up story of human survival amongst inhospitable locales the metaphors and discussions arising form the stronger points of the film.

Education, Saddam Hussien, conventionality, tradition and the restrictions placed on the community by their own beliefs are brought to the fore and all serve to highlight some of the problems and criticisms facing people and countries in the region as a whole.

It's not as intense or involving as the other films I've seen by Samira Makhmalbaf but it does retain a stronger afterthought of discussion.