The President (2014 film)


The President is a film by Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf following the themes of his previous film The Gardener. The President had its World Premier at Venice Film Festival in 2014, opening the festival together with Birdman.

Plot

A revolution is happening in a country with a dictatorial president. The president sends his family abroad but his grandson wants to stay with his grandfather. In order to save their lives they run away and the president uses a wig and a guitar to disguise himself as a gypsy. They want to reach the sea so they can go to another country by boat. They must experience poverty and hunger during their journey, and see the effects of the dictatorship on the country.
The inspiration for the film came when Makhmalbaf visited the Darul Aman Palace in Kabul. The Arab Spring revolutions were also inspirations.

Festivals