Review of This Is Not a Film (2011) by Jerem M — 12 Apr 2013

Not an easy documentary to handle, but if you can get through the lulls and stomach the injustice, this is one to see. Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi takes you through a typical day of his house arrest.

Why is he in this situation? Because he is critical of his government, he has been sentenced to six years in prison, as well as banned from making films for 20 years. You can really get a sense of the wretching boredom he endures, day after day, with only a camera and his pet iguana to keep him company.

In one particularly moving scene, he is describing in detail how he would direct the last film he will never get to make, a project of clear importance to him which causes him to tear up and leave the room.

We never really find out what will happen to him, but it's a sobering picture of an artist being punished by an intolerant government.