Schedule

Wednesday, January 26, 2022
7 p.m. Film Screening

Ali (Rouhollah Zamani) is a 12-year-old in Tehran working hard to survive and support himself, doing small jobs in a garage and committing petty crimes to make fast money. After being asked to uncover an underground treasure, he recruits his friends to help him out and they enroll in a charitable institution called the Sun School to gain access to the tunnels where the treasure is located. Acclaimed director Majid Majidi combines elements of adventure and humanist drama with a Neorealist approach for a gripping and propulsive tale of youthful struggle and determination.

“Energetic and heartfelt, tipping towards tragedy, Sun Children crawls through the mud and emerges all the stronger. The quest is a red herring; the real treasure is the film.” — The Guardian

About the Director

Born in Tehran in 1959, Majid Majidi is the first Iranian director to receive an Academy Award® Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film for Children of Heaven (1996). Majidi worked as an actor before beginning to direct short films. His debut feature, Baduk (1991), was presented at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, and his second effort Father (1995) secured Majidi’s first major prize, at the San Sebastian Film Festival. Majid is a triple winner of the Grand Prix des Amériques at the Montreal World Film Festival for Children of Heaven, The Colour of Paradise and Baran (2001). His movie The Song of Sparrows (2008) won the Golden Bear for Best Actor at the Berlin International Film Festival. Since then he has directed Muhammad, The Messenger of God (2017) and Beyond The Clouds (2019).

About the 29th Festival of Films from Iran

The 29th edition of the Houston Festival of Films from Iran takes place in-person from January 21-February 5 at the MFAH, Asia Society Texas Center, and Rice Cinema. Selections allow viewers to discover emerging talent, catch up on new films by well-known directors, and explore Iran’s cinematic history. Unless otherwise noted, all films are presented in Farsi (Persian) with English subtitles.

Performing Arts and Culture programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by Syamal and Susmita Poddar. Major support comes from Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, Houston Endowment, and The Brown Foundation Inc. Generous funding also provided by AARP, The Anchorage Foundation of Texas, The Clayton Fund, and Miller Theatre Advisory Board. Additional support provided by the Wortham Foundation, Texas Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, United Airlines, and through contributions from the Friends of Asia Society, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional programming and exhibitions to Asia Society Texas Center.

Performing Arts and Culture Presenting Sponsors

Syamal and Susmita Poddar

Official Airline Sponsor

Performing Arts and Culture Program Sponsors

Presenting Partners

About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.