This film is set against the hous­ing prob­lems in Teheran which occurred in the first few years after the rev­o­lu­tion. Mokhtari shows the fierce every­day con­fronta­tions between land­lords and ten­ants who can no longer pay the rent. Women and chil­dren com­plain about the intol­er­a­ble social con­di­tions. They crit­i­cise the tenant law passed under the Shah which was only changed after the show­ing of the film on tele­vi­sion and the sub­se­quent polit­i­cal dis­cus­sion. The film is out­stand­ing for its accu­rate reflec­tion of social real­i­ty. It pub­li­cis­es pri­vate misery and thus breaks with social tra­di­tion which for­bids public dis­cus­sion of per­son­al problems.

(Robert Richter)