Official Competition

Hit the Road

Jadde Khaki

Panah Panahi’s thrilling debut is by turns tender, quirky, even laugh-out-loud funny – a wondrously-observed reflection on family and the ambivalence of saying goodbye.

  • Director-Screenwriter

    Panah Panahi

  • Producers

    Panah Panahi, Jafar Panahi, Mastaneh Mohajer

  • With

    Hassan Madjooni, Pantea Panahiha, Rayan Sarlak

  • Iran 2021. 93min

  • UK Distribution

    Picturehouse Entertainment

  • Language

    Persian

    With English subtitles

This film’s BFI Player premiere is scheduled for the time listed above. You have 24 hours to start watching and 4 hours to complete the film once you’ve started. Tickets can be booked until the end time listed above (subject to availability).

Like every great road movie, Panahi’s drama is all about the journey. In the chaotic claustrophobia of the car, an energetic child (Rayan Sarlak) clambers over his surly father (Hassan Madjooni) whose broken leg – and mood – take up considerable space. In the front, mother (Pantea Panahiha) fusses over her other son in the driver’s seat (Amin Simiar), whose sullen face stays fixed on the deserted horizon. Nobody mentions where they are going, but knowledge of their unspoken destination causes concern, turning despair into affection and some very eccentric behaviour. The car stutters along to a bold, brilliant soundtrack of 1970s Iranian pop, full of heart, nostalgia and the melancholy of separation. Deftly navigating a sea of conflicting emotions, Panahi’s debut heralds an exciting new talent. This journey along the dusty road of life is a treasure that might just break your heart.

Elhum Shakerifar

Calling all film fans aged 16 to 25! Book £5 tickets in advance to see this film on BFI Player with your 25 & Under account. Sign up now.

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