In this provocative film from the new Iranian cinema, seminary student Seyyed Hassan is preparing to rise to the status of cleric when his vestments are stolen by a young thief. Seyyed tracks the boy to a poor and distant suburb where he's treated to an eye-opening view of the gulf between religious teachings and harsh, everyday life. Winner of the Grand Prize for Feature at the 2001 Critics Week at Cannes, Under the Moonlight boasts "obvious sincerity and a forthright sense of purpose" (Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times). In Farsi with English subtitles.

Reza Mir-Karimi---Iran---2001---100 mins.