Underplayed Gems

Dame sobh (2005)

Dame sobh poster
Original title
دم صبح
Directed by
Hamid Rahmanian
Genre
drama
Country
Iran
Runtime
1h 24m
Rating
7.1 of 10 from 8 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

A man is on death row in Iran, waiting to be executed. His execution keeps getting postponed because the victim's family does not show up, which is required by law. The film mixes documentary and fictional styles as it shows his past and present.

suspensefulbleakdocumentary-styleemotionalslow-pacedtensereflectivegripping

What happens

Day Break (Persian: دم صبح, romanized: Dam-e Sobh) is a 2005 independent film from Iranian director Hamid Rahmanian. It depicts a man on death row whose execution is repeatedly delayed because the family of the victim does not appear for his execution (which is necessary for an execution to take place under Iranian law). Some parts of the film are filmed like a documentary (docudrama), with characters addressing the camera crew or looking into the camera, but most of the scenes, including frequent flashbacks, are filmed in the traditional style of a fictional film. The film sets in with the written statement that "This film is based on true events"; later in the introduction of the film, it is added that it is "based on a story by Hamid Rahmanian". The cover of the DVD release by Film Movement describes the film as "based on a compilation of true stories" and adds that it was "shot inside Tehran's century-old prison". With few exceptions (e.g., Şafak in Turkey), the film has been internationally screened under the title Day Break. In the United States, the film is not rated, but according to the cover of its DVD release is "not recommended for ages under 17 without parental permission". (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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