John Goodman This Week Editor 4 Children of Heaven *& &* Starring Mir Farrokh Hashemian, Bahareh Seddigi and Amir Naji. Directed by Majid Majidi. In Farsi with English subtitles. Starts today at Fifth Avenue Cinemas. FORGET about heaven. For the first half of Majid Majidi’s movie you won’t even see the sky, Shot dacumentary-style, Children of Heaven tollows a brother and sister as they make their Way through the claus- trophobic streets of a southern Tehran neighourl rod. The viewer experiences what they experience. And although the family owns a TV it doesn’t necessarily mean we're in the twentieth century. The film operates as a fable. There are rio cars, in fact very few modern conveniences of any kind. There is litle time for idleness or wasted energy. Everything has a pur- pose. Evervone has their duties. The larger context — the outside world — will appear ater on (father and son venture into the wealthier sub- urbs of northern, Tehran looking work) bur Majidi intro- duces us to his enchant- ing characters in sith. The film opens with nine-year-old Ali (Mir Farrokh Hashemian) losing his younger sister Zahra's (Bahareh Seddiqi) only pair of shoes while bringing them home from the cobbler’s shop. The rest of the story is taken up with an all-consuming passion to get new ones. Asimple story told by a master filmmaker. The plot is see- ondary to the drama of daily fife captured in Children of Heaven. Non-professionais were used to play the lead roles and the film achieves a spiritual authenticity reminiscent of Robert Bresson’s best work. Truth emerges from the situation and not from technique. Majidi has made a “children’s” film for all ages. Iranian directors seem to have almost cornered the marker on this type of movie and their success is no accident. In 1970 Abbas Kiarostami established a film preduction unit as part of the state-controlled Instirure for the Inteilectual Development of Children and Young Adults. Over the course of three decades filmmakers have used this agency to finance children’s films of uncommon originality and beauty. Perhaps the most notable being Jafar Panahi's The White Balloon winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes in 1995. Childven of Heaven has already won several awards includ- ing top honours at last fall’s Montreal World Film Festival, It also is up for an Academy Award next week as best foreign film. But if Majidi’s fable teaches us anything it is to cake our eves off the prize and share the wealth. Alliance Attantls Director Majid Majidi discuss- es a scene with nine-year-old star Mir Farrokh Hashemian. Written by Michael Frayn Directed by Darlene Manchester Set Design by Nick Boughen STARRING: Grag Anderson, Ayan Crocker, Nicole Fairbairn, Kerria Givens, Demetri Goritsas*, Christine Harrington, Michael Morabito, Carole-Lee Palidor, Al Simpson *Apezenny by permssion of Canachan Actors’ Eqquity ASSeciMuon MARCH 10~27 Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. DEEP COVE SHAW THEATRE 4360 Gallant at Panorama Drive, North Van. RESERVATIONS - 929-9456 At Door or by reservation tickets $12.00 Adults > $11.00 Seniors & Students Group Rates Available Call For Details Procuced by spimal arrangement veth Sarauel Franch, Inc. Toronia Alliance Atlantis YOUNG Bahareh Seddiqi portrays Zahra in Majidi’s Childreii of Heaven opening today at Fifth Ave. Cinemas. @ Park & Tilford Cineplex 200 - 333 Brooksbank, North Vancouver (985-3911): 8MM (18A) — 12:40, 3:20, 6:55, 9:50 p.m, (no 6:35 p.m. show Sat, March 13) Ed TY (not vet rated) —- 7 p.m. Sat, March 13 only Shakespeare in Love (14A) — 12:30, 3:10, 6:45, 9:25 p.m. Wing Commander (PG) — 1:10, 3:45, 7:40, 10 p.m. The Corruptor (18A) — 1, 3:40, 7:05, 9:35 p.m. Cruel Intentions (14A) — 1:20, 3 7:25, 9:45 p.m. The Deep End of the Ocean (PG) — 12:50, 3:30, 7:15, 9:40 p.m. 255, @ Esplanade 6 Cinemas 260 W. Esplanade, North Vancouver (983-2762) The Rage: Carrie 2 — Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thur 1:40, 4:20, 7:05, 9:45 pam. Fri 7:05, 9:45 p.m. Babar — Sar, Sun, Mon, Tues Wed, Thu 1:15, 3:20, 5:20 p.n Such A Long Journey - 7:30, 10 p.m. The Other Sister — Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thur 1:20, 4:10, 7, 9:50 p.m. Fri 7, 9:50 p.m. Analyse This —Sat, Sun, Mon, Tuc, Wed, Thur 1:30, 3:59, 7:20, 9:40 p.m. Fri 7:20, 9:40 p.m. My Favorite Martian Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thur 2, 4:30, 6:50 p.m. Fri 6:30 p.m. Message in a Bottle —~ 9:20 p.m. Baby Geniuses — Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue, Ved, Thur 1:45, 4, 7:10, 9:30 p.m. Fri 7:10, 9:30 p.m. @ Caprice Park Royal South West Vancouver (926-6699) Waking Ned Devine (?}G) — 3:35, 7 p.m. A Bugs Life (G) — 1:40 p.m. Payback (18A) — 9 p.m Life is Beautiful (PG) — 3:20, 7:10, 9:25 p.m. : Little Voice (14A) --- 3:25, 7:05, 9:10 p.m. October Sky (PG) — 1:35 p.m. The Prince of Egypt (G) — 1:30 p.m. @ Fifth Avenue Cinemas 2110 Burrard at Sth, Vancouver (734- 8700) Children of Heaven (PG) — 7:20, 9:20 p.m. plus Sat/Sun 2:10, 4:25 p.m. and Tue 4:25 p.m. Affliction (14A) — 7:15, 9:35 p.m. plus Sat/Sun 1:50, 4:20 p.m. and Tue 4:20 pe (no 7:15 p.m. show Thur, March 8) Little Voice (4A) — 7:10, 9:15 p.m. plus Sat/Sun 2, 4:15 p.m. and Tue 4:15 p.m. (no 7:10 p.m. show Wed, March 17) Life is Beautiful (PG) ~- 7:05, 9:30 p.m. plus Sat/Sun 1:40, 4:30 p.m. and Tue 4:30 p.m. Elizabeth (14A) — 7, 9:30 p.m. plus Sat/Sun 1:30, 4:10 p.m. and Tue 4:10 p.m. G@ Park Theatre 3440 Cambie ar [8th, Vancouver (876- 2747) Shakespeare in Love (14A) — 7, 9:30 p.m. plus Sat/Sun 1:30, 4 p.m. and Tuc 4 p.m. @ Varsity Theatre 4375 West 10th at Trimble, Vancouver (222-2235) Central Station (PG) — 7, 9:15 p.m. plus Sat/Sun 1:45, 4 p.m. @ Hollywood Theatre 3123 West Broadway, Vancouver (515- 5864) Clay Pigeons (18A) —~ 7:30 p.m- Very Bad Things (18A) — 9:25 p.m. fi Pacific Cinematheque 1131 Howe St., Vancouver (684-3456) — Chills and Thrills from Norway: Fri, March 12 through Sun. March 14: Erik Skjoldbjerg’s Insomnia (1997) and Hans Petter Moland’s Zero Kelvin (1995). — Women Fibumaker’s Refocussing: March 15-19 and 22-25,