Synopsis
After twelve years of imprisonment by their own parents, two sisters are finally released by social workers to face the outside world for the first time.
The Apple
1998 ‘سیب’ Directed by Samira Makhmalbaf
Director
Additional Directing
Executive Producer
Writers
Editor
Cinematography
Sound
Studios
Countries
Language
Alternative Titles
Sib, La Pomme, Äpplet, Der Apfel, La Manzana, La mela, 사과, A Maçã, 苹果
Genre
Releases by Date
Theatrical
-
France
Releases by Country
France
27 May 1998
- Theatrical
Popular reviews
More-
Not long ago, I read this interview, which basically spells out the ideas in The Apple directly from the young director's mouth. It's a great interview, but having read it, it would be redundant of me to speak directly of the themes of the movie. In it, Makhmalbaf specifically cites the story of Adam and Eve as a direct parallel to her work here, however, and that stood out--I think also to the interviewer--in that she seems to directly call Satan's role in that story good.
I must admit, I have never given too much thought to the story of Adam and Eve. Had I been taught the story in my adult life, I can't say that I would not…
-
I enjoyed this non professional acting movie. I was even early on questioning if this was a documentary. I really like how this movie creates sympathy and anger at the same time with all the people in authority with a few laughs now and again. I particularly got a chuckle with the two girls running around the town (Somewhat reminiscent of "Zazie dan la metro" actually but not as wacky) in these over sized shoes unable to be fully aware of this outside world. Sad but balanced with charm that addresses a lot of issues of women's rights to education in the Iranian culture add to that that the director/writer Samira Makhmalbaf was 18 when this came out just shows how impressive she is right out of the gate. With this and having seen "Blackboards" makes me upset that she hasn't really done anymore films since 2008
-
No one plays with reality and fiction quite like the greatest masters of Iranian new wave. The film's strong sense of longing for freedom (and beauty) seems to be partly legacy from Samira's father Mohsen who also edited and scripted the film but ultimately it's simply humanist longing (girls' wanderings after interesting objects reminds me of little blind boy's wanderings after the most beautiful music in Mohsen Makhmalbaf's The Silence released on the same year). We witness moments of regret and injustice but also beauty and wonder. Mirrors show the truth but also only half of it, apples are tempting and full of life, new games are weird, people are curious... The film isn't only "compensation" or "therapy" for the family caught in the actual incident, it goes beyond that. It's full of sense of compassion and solidarity even in the middle of unfair events. Jean Renoir would have loved this film.
-
''A girl is like a flower, if the sun shines on her,
she will fade. A man's gaze is like the sun and a girl is like a flower.''18 year old filmmaker Samira Makhmalbaf said of Massoumeh and Zahra Naderi, who were the focus of her debut film The Apple: ''We shot this in 11 days, and during this 11 days, they changed more than during those 11 years, just because of having contact with us.''(the film crew), and it's easy to see the evidence of this blossoming throughout a film in which all the real people involved in this remarkable true story are cast to replay both real and fictional events to tell the story of two semi-retarded…
-
the apple é um documentário que mistura realidade e ficção para contar a história verídica das irmãs massoumeh e zahra
com origem no Irã e feito pelas mãos da diretora samira makhmalbaf, ela traz o caso real das irmãs que foram aprisionadas durante anos pelo seu pai, ghorban ali naderi.
é muito triste você assistir algo assim, a realidade nua e crua de duas crianças que foram privadas de seu próprio existir durante onze anos, e a justificativa do pai para isso é a de "proteção"
crianças que foram negligenciadas pelo próprio pai em prol da proteção inexistente que ele pregava, não recebiam cuidados médicos e tampouco tomavam banho, sabem o que é isso?
o mais difícil penso eu que…
-
Two daughters have been locked up by their parents for 12 years and social workers arrive to investigate the situation.
This is based on a true story and features the real people who actually lived it. It's an impressive directorial debut by Samira Makhmalbaf, I can't believe she was 18 years old when she made it.
Although it is frustating, bittersweet, sad and confusing to watch, I can't help to think everyone should see it. If you liked Mustang(2015) and The Virgin Suicides(1999) don't miss this film experiment.
-
This was kind of hard to watch, it really touched me.
To me, ignorance is one of the worst's evils of life, it's sad and tough to see.
What conforts me is that that the world still have people caring for each other and taking care of each other =). -
These girls were robbed 12 years of their childhood, and all it takes is one glimpse at an average day outside to prove it.
Okay, so two things I learned while watching this: first, the social worker in this is GOATED and does the whole “traps to teach ya a lesson” shtick way more efficiently than Jigsaw ever could. Second, I ought to become more productive in my life after having my ego absolutely deflated from finding out that a 17-year old directed this. I’m really out of the loop these days. Fuck it, we all are.
Verdict: B+
-
Incredibly disturbing and exploitative. Whole family needs psychiatric help and/or education and they get a camera pointed at them.
-
Iran really is a powerhouse of cinema, or perhaps not Iran but Iranian filmmakers. At the tender age of 17, director Samira Makhmalbaf directed the first film in her career, based on the true events regarding two girls who lived their whole lives without getting out of the house. Social workers came to investigate the situation and it was only then when they had the chance to see the world outside and to finally learn and grow without restrictions (or without as many restrictions). The film feels like a documentary, it creates empathy for the supposed villains and shows that it's never a straightforward case in black and white, and creates sympathy for the girls (the real life girls that lived it) in the sweetest of ways.
-
listen i get why iranian filmmakers don’t make positive or happy films but i can’t keep doing this …
-
