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(aka "Shirin" or "My Sweet Shirin")
directed by Abbas Kiarostami
Iran 2008
Abbas
Kiarostami is widely regarded as one of the most important,
ambitious and rewarding filmmakers at work today. With
Shirin, he continues to explore the potential of cinema,
stimulating and challenging the viewer's imagination to an
extraordinary degree. |
Posters
Theatrical Release: June 26th, 2009 (UK)
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
DVD Comparison:
BFI - Region 2 - PAL vs. Cinema Guild - Region 1 - NTSC
(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Cinema Guild - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)
DVD Box Cover |
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Distribution |
BFI Region 2 - PAL |
Cinema Guild H Region 1 - NTSC |
Runtime | 1:30:57 (4% PAL Speedup) | 1:34:39 |
Video |
1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
1.78:1 Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate |
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Bitrate |
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Audio | Farsi (Dolby Digital PCM 2.0) | Farsi (Dolby Digital 2.0) |
Subtitles | English, None | English, None |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: BFI Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 6 |
Release Information:
Edition Details: • Taste
of Shirin (2008, 27 minutes), a documentary by Hamideh Razavi on the
making of the film |
Comments |
ADDITION: Cinema Guild - August 2010: Visually there doesn't seem to be a significant enough difference to warrant choosing one over the other. The BFI has warmer skin tones and a higher bitrate. Both are picture-boxed although it is hard to distinguish as the films is framed with theater darkness. In short the BFI has PAL speedup - notable to those who are sensitive, audio would appear to lean to the BFI that has the technical advantage with the PCM track - although sound is not such a dominating part of the presentation of Kiarostami's film. Both offer optional English subtitles and both are on dual-layered DVDs. Extras go to Cinema Guild with the same 1/2 hour Taste of Shirin making of documentary as found on the BFI but also two more pieces - Roads of Kiarostami (2005, 30 minutes), a short film by Abbas Kiarostami and Rug (2006, 6 minutes), another short film by the Iranian master. The Cinema Guild has a liner notes leaflet with an essay "Shirin as Mirror" by film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum. If forced to choose I would lean to the Cinema Guild release with the additional supplements, but it is far more important to just see the film. It's hard to describe the range of emotional responses you feel throughout the presentation - the, mostly Persian, women's faces seem all at once, inquisitive, innocent, child like - even the older, wiser looking ladies. Sometimes we see expressions of pain and sadness but no desire or disgust - almost an unspoken commentary on Hollywood cinema. When you let it in - you can be so warmly rewarded. Jonathan's essay is golden to further appreciation but this is a film you need to come to grips with yourself - it would be too easy to ridicule. This is an attempt at pure and honest cinema - whether it achieves its goal is up to you. ****
ON THE BFI: Big thanks to the folks at the
BFI for releasing Abbas Kiarostami’s “Shirin”, his most recent
effort, on video. I have to admit that shamefully enough I
hadn’t even heard of it before the BFI announced the title, and
likely would have never seen the film otherwise. Thankfully, I
now have and all that I can say is “WOW”! Not only is the film
stupendous, but it looks and sounds almost as beautiful as any
film can on standard DVD. No doubt this is due in no small part
to the fact that the film was released only last year, but the
masters used with this film couldn’t have been much better. The audio too sounds great here.
The audio track is Dolby Digital PCM and seems to transcend any
limitations of the format. The dialogue and sound effects are
not only clear and unhampered by background noise, but they
actually sound as if they take place in a movie theater.
Kiarostami’s sound editors did an admirable job creating this
effect and the BFI audio track preserves it so well that you
almost feel as though you’re in the theater with the audience!
The subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired only come in
English, but are unobtrusive and never obstruct the faces. |
DVD Menus
(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Cinema Guild - Region 1 - NTSC -
RIGHT)
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Screen Captures
(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Cinema Guild - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Cinema Guild - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Cinema Guild - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Cinema Guild - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Cinema Guild - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Cinema Guild - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Cinema Guild - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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DVD Box Cover |
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Distribution |
BFI Region 2 - PAL |
Cinema Guild H Region 1 - NTSC |
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