The Apple cover art

The Apple Details

1998 Certificate PG
  • 60
  • from 873 members

Twin girls, the daughters of a blind mother and poor father, are kept inside their home as virtual prisoners. Their father believes that they must not be exposed to the sun. A social worker attempts to persuade the family that it is in the best interests of the girls to allow them the chance to explore the outside world. Based .. Read more

Starring Zahra Naderi, Massoumeh Naderi
Director Samira Makmalbaf
Genres Drama, Indian Cinema

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The Apple

Twin girls, the daughters of a blind mother and poor father, are kept inside their home as virtual prisoners. Their father believes that they must not be exposed to the sun. A social worker attempts to persuade the family that it is in the best interests of the girls to allow them the chance to explore the outside world. Based on a true story. Farsi dialogue.

Starring Zahra Naderi, Massoumeh Naderi
Director Samira Makmalbaf
Studio ARTIFICIAL EYE
Run time DVD: 1 hr 24 mins
Certificate Certificate PG
Genres Drama, Indian Cinema
Language DVD: Farsi
Subtitles DVD: English
Released DVD: not available
Production year: 1998
  • Critics' reviews (6) of The Apple

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  • 4 stars out of 5

    Scripted by her director father, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, 17-year-old Samira Makhmalbaf's first feature is a quietly ambitious assault on social injustice and sexual discrimination. Inspired by a scandal that shocked Iran, the tale of twin sisters who finally experience the world after a lifetime's imprisonment at the hands of their ultra-conservative father is re-enacted by the actual people involved. Demonstrating an astonishing ease before the camera, Zahra and Massoumeh Naderi stand in wonderfully mischievous contrast to the shame and regret of their gnarled father, Ghorban Ali-Naderi. However, while the film is defiantly affirmative, it doesn't attempt to disguise the family's crippling poverty.

    • Radio Times
  • Directed by the 18-year-old daughter of Mohsen Makhmalbaf (who wrote and edited this film), this tells the story of two... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
  • Most helpful member's review of The Apple

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  • 9 out of 10 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5.0 stars

    Bizarre Iranian Drama

    An odd atmospheric film about two children who are locked in their house by their father and blind mother, before being rescued by a social worker. Filmed with ... more

      • A customer from england
  • Most recent members' review of The Apple

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  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4.0 stars

    I loved this film

    I watched it twice. The first time, knowing nothing about it; the second time having read a bit about the making of it and the people involved in its making. ... more

  • News and features

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    After

    Jonze angry about West film leak

    • 27 Oct 2009

    Director Spike Jonze is fuming after Kanye West helped to leak a short film the pair shot together. After collaborating on West's Flashing Lights video, the rapper reteamed with Where the Wild Things Are filmmaker Jonze to create We Were Once a Fairytale, exclusively for Apple's iTunes. West plays himself in the movie, with scenes showing him drunk at a nightclub and having sex in a back room. The star came out of hiding last week (ends23Oct09) to post a link to the video on his website - not... Read more

Rating breakdown

873 Member ratings
  • 100
77
  • 90
62
  • 80
152
  • 70
143
  • 60
148
  • 50
88
  • 40
56
  • 30
52
  • 20
61
  • 10
34

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