Children of Heaven (Bacheha-ye Aseman, 1997) is far more than a suspenseful children’s story about a lost pair of shoes. In Majid Majidi’s hands, the film becomes a richly layered work that weaves together a realistic portrayal of poverty, the religious symbolism of Shia Islam, and themes drawn from the Persian mystical tradition. This video essay is guided by the idea that Children of Heaven derives its enduring power not only from its deeply moving narrative, but also from the spiritual meanings that unfold beneath its deceptively simple surface.
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