The Cyclist poster

The Cyclist( 1989)

TV-MADrama
66%
User
Score

Overview

The wife of Nasim, an Afghan immigrant in Iran, is gravely ill. He needs money to pay for her care, but his day labor digging wells does not pay enough. A friend connects Nasim to a two-bit promoter who sells tickets to watch Nasim ride a bicycle continuously for a week. The promoter brings in sick and aged spectators, haranguing them to find hope in Nasim's strength. Aided by his son, who feeds him as he rides, Nasim grinds out the days and shivering nights. Local officials believe this may be a plot and Nasim may be a spy; they try to sabotage him as do those who bet he won't finish the week. Will desperation alone get Nasim the money? Is any triumph an illusion?

    Top Billed Cast

    1. cast image

      Mahshid Afsharzadeh

      Gypsy Woman

    2. cast image

      Firouz Kiani

      Motorcyclist

    3. cast image

      Samira Makhmalbaf

    4. cast image

      Mohammadreza Maleki

      Jomeh

    5. cast image

      Esmail Soltanian

      Showman

    6. cast image

      Moharram Zaynalzadeh

      Nasim

    Social

    Review 1Discussion
    C

    A review by CRCulver

    7
    Written by CRCulver on Sat Sep 08 2018
    In the aftermath of the Soviet invasion and civil war, hundreds of thousands of Afghans fled across the border with Iran. There they struggled to survive, offering themselves as day labourers at exploitative wages, harassed by officials and just ignored by the bulk of Iranian society. Mohsen Makhmalbaf's 1987 film <i>The Cyclist</i> is an allegory for the Afghan refugee experience, Nasim (Moharram Zaynalzadeh) must pay the hospital stay of his ailing wife and bring up his son Jomeh (Mohammad Reza Maleki), but even backbreaking labour as a well-digger doesn't pay the bills. When a local busi...

    Media

    Videos 0Backdrops 1Posters 4

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    Facts

    Status

    Released

    Original Language

    English

    Budget

    -

    Revenue

    -

    Keywords

    • immigrant
    • afghanistan
    • motorcycle