Kamalolmolk

An iconic movie, It is the greatest artwork by Ali Hatami and of the best Iranian films.

The story is about Kamalolmolk who was the court painter of two kings ( Nasser al-Din Shah and Mozzafar al-Din Shah ) in Qajar era. He was also a reformist.

Some of the prominent Iranian actors such as Ezzatolah Entezami , Jamshid Mashayekhi ,Ali Nasirian , Mohammad Ali Keshavarz, Davoud Rashidi, Parviz Poorhosseni .. were acting in this movie.

The movie is produced in historical places such as Golestan Place of Tehran and indeed with the great music and sumptuous dialogs ( the themes of Ali Hatemi's movies )

I would like to recommend this films to those are interested in the contemporary history of Iran ( indeed with knowledge of the Persian Language )

This is a lyrical, pleasantly hypnotic film about the life and times of one of the greatest Persian painters, Kamal ol Molk. The events in the movie happen as if in a dream, while following the tumultuous events of the first half of twentieth century in Iran through the eyes of the great painter. Kings come, kings go, and the weak but likable Ghajar dynasty monarchs are replaced by the rather brutal, pragmatic strongman Reza Pahlavi. The slow, rather passive, "old world" ambiance of the old system is replaced by a new, harsh, modern reality so alienating that the painter is reduced to threatening to cut off both his hands so he is not forced to put this new order of things on canvas. He retreats to the old world, and rediscovers beauty. I just wish the movie had put more of the master's paintings in context. While we see the settings in which some of his canvases are painted, there is not much reference to the rest of his body of work. Overall, I found it an enjoyable movie.

This Movie is About Art and Artist. It's Very poetic Old movie But it is alright , sometimes i wonder if it is just the acting of jamshid mashayekhi or is it the writer or director , or is it all of them.

However, they are undoubtedly slower paced than other films, and they require the viewer to detach himself from any western stereotypes that he has about film. This would not be a good film for somebody expecting action or a typical Western film, but rather, this would be a film that I would recommend only to those who are in the mood for an insightful, philosophical film that shows an alternative view of life. Overall, it was an emotionally powerful film that will stick out in my memory as all ali hatami films do.