OFFSIDE [PG]
A couple of Jafar Panahi’s earlier films were banned in his home country of Iran, but went on to great international acclaim. With this winner of the Silver Bear at Berlinale in 2006, Panahi has gotten pretty smart and made a comedy in which the political dangers are submerged in a way that circumvents censure at home, yet manages to make his point loud and clear. The film takes a lighthearted look at how teenage girls try to infiltrate a soccer stadium for a big match against Bahrain in the qualifying round of the 2006 World Cup. Forbidden to attend by Government decree to protect them from the swearing and bad behaviour that is expected of the men, they are keen soccer fans and inventive with disguise. Still, some get caught, and held in a makeshift pen until after the game. This is where Panahi sets the center of his action, and where he pits the girls’ arguments against the law, by putting a soldier in the position of having to explain the rationale for the law – and of course, thus reveal how ridiculous it is. It is a valid subject, and while it is a little light as the only propeller for the cinematic engine, Panahi manages to sustain interest with a combination of well directed action and a sense of fun that elevates the film’s editorial tone to an accessible pitch (pardon the pun). –Andrew L. Urban