Persian Lessons

Persian Lessons focuses less on a parade of unspeakable violence, which we are all aware of, and more on the victim’s survivor’s guilt, the victimiser’s murderous self-delusion, and the muddied waters of the human relationship between the two.

The war drama could have been powerful and human, but too much distracts from the central narrative.

Not a great film, but in many ways extraordinary, unpredictable, and memorable.

It's a compelling plot and even though there are some questionable personality changes with key characters, Persian Lessons is an intense drama with a great ending.

It took a little bit to worm into me, but I was happy it did.

That it ultimately manages to work as effectively as it does is a credit to the firm, focused visual grip of director [Vadim] Perelman.

The film is also an interesting reflection on languages. Not only does the audience hear multiple languages spoken in the camp, such as German, French, and Italian to name a few, but the movie also delivers a lesson in linguistics.

It’s a worthwhile watch for the fantastic performances of its central leads, and if you can let go of the glaringly obvious language plot holes, then you may find Persian Lessons a thrilling addition to the ever increasing genre of Holocaust movies.

There are moments of suspense, as when a real Farsi-speaking Persian winds up in the camp, and moments of beauty, as we watch Reza choose names for each hungry prisoner. But the heart of the piece is the growing relationship between Reza and Klaus.

The surprises the film unravels for us to discover are satisfactory and exciting. [Full review in Spanish]