Jafar Panahi’s “Taxi Tehran”

Taxi Tehran (تاکسی) (2015)

Joyful and ingenious, this view of a cross section of people in Tehran by way of a shared taxi turns a series of seemingly disparate stories into a coherent and potent whole

Providing a view of a vibrant if oppressed Tehran, the film is carried by Jafar Panahi who is our amiable and open guide through the city acting as a taxi driver for a day. What’s striking is how Tehran despite being cowed by a fundamentalist government still holds it own in some aspects from a humanitarian perspective than other countries, most notably the US. This is what’s so perplexing about the Iranian government’s suppression of Jafar Panahi who only recently was released from prison after a hunger strike because his films show a relatable and admirable humanity in the Iranian people.

Through a series of passengers, we see a cross section of perspectives on politics, cinema, and daily life which is so interesting and likeable. Sadly, because of government interference, the film’s credits have been supressed but one performance that stands out is Hana Saeidi, Jafar Panahi’s niece who is such a firebrand and another great child performance not unlike Rayan Sarlak in Hit the Road by Jafar’s son Panah Panahi. Being assigned to create a film for a school project, she shares the ridiculous guidelines she’s been taught.

For cinephiles, there’s a lot to enjoy here as part of this is an ode to the power of cinema but there’s something for everyone here in what is a joyful and vibrant city symphony.