ferreldk _Secret Ballot_ is an important film and even a surprising one, with its not so subtle message of voting equality for all. The protagonist is likable and so is her sidekick, the soldier/begrudging escort. The scenery is wonderful as are the insights into a culture that is so seemingly disparate from ours in the US.I also thought the film was subversive in many ways and was surprised it got past the strict censorship that governs the film industry in Iran. _Secret Ballot_ clearly asserts the importance of female equality, and the sexist soldier even exemplifies his respect for her at the end of the movie in a scene that is sweet and touching.There also seems to be the slightest hint of romantic feelings between the two. At first, the ballot collector rides in the backseat of the car, but at the movie's end, she is riding in the passenger's seat. When the ballot collector stops midway to the airplane to give one last look to the soldier, it is a wistful moment. These "feelings" seem to be reciprocated by the soldier when in the last frames, that are almost identical to the first, the soldier/escort tells his pal that he will go on guard duty, because "he cannot sleep" anyway.Still, the pacing of this film is very slow, and at times I could understand why some claim it verges on boring. It is a movie that is probably more significant and thought provoking than enjoyable.

verglace Last week, my daughter and I viewed Osama and tonight Secret Ballot. Both impressed us greatly. Secret Ballot is a sweet movie about two people fulfilling a duty—one eagerly, the other reluctantly—and growing to know and appreciate each other in the process. Reminds me a bit of The African Queen. The cinematography is breath-taking and I just wish I could have viewed it on a large screen. The social commentary vis a vis the place of women—e.g. not in a cemetery—is presented sympathetically. I liked the scene where the soldier tells the girl to pour water for his hand washing and she does so without question—like automatically. The old man choosing to vote for God and the soldier, in the end, choosing to vote for the girl were delightful. My daughter is a middle school teacher and plans to show this film to her students. That is a high accolade for a sensitive film.

Red-125 Comments to be checked and sent for approval Possible spelling mistakes: Raye makhfi Babak Payami Abidi Nassim Abdi Please return to the edit window (or use the BACK option if this isn't a new window) to return to the previous page in order to make corrections.Your comments will be displayed as follows: Please remember to hit the button below to actually send the comments!Red-125 Upstate New YorkDate: 12 May 2003 Summary: Not really a comedy--democracy starts here.Secret Ballot [Raye makhfi (2001)]is another Iranian film about a strong, determined young woman. As written and directed by Babak Payami, the film is far more than a comedy. This movie takes us through a day on an almost- deserted island, where two bored soldiers are stationed on the beach to watch for smugglers.Suddenly a large box is dropped by parachute. Inside are a ballot box and orders directing the soldiers to accompany and assist an election agent. The soldier--played well by Cyrus Abidi--is astonished when he learns the agent is a woman. Nassim Abdi, who plays the agent, has a difficult part, made more difficult by the fact that she must communicate her emotions to the viewer while swathed in the forbidding garments required for women--even election agents-- in this Muslim land.The plot of the film involves the interaction between the agent and the potential voters she meets on the island, as well as her interaction with the young soldier.The Secret Ballot is an intensely moving, sometimes humorous, sometimes sad movie. Secret Ballot is not your lightweight Hollywood road movie. It is a glimpse into another culture, and into the hearts and minds of two people who are doing their best to lead moral and productive lives in a situation where this goal is not easy to accomplish.

meitschi I just saw this film on the Vienna film festival and found it one of the most lovable comedies ever. It tells about a female voting agent who comes to the middle of nowhere to collect the votes on election day. There, she is faced with lack of interest from the "citizens" and other unexpected problems. Not to mention a local soldier who doesn't like at all that he has to carry her around by car instead of chasing smugglers... The humor of the film is lovely and attains sometimes satirical and even philosophical depth, regarding the futility and inherent senselessness of the voting agent's work in this environment.A highly watchable and recommendable film, even for those who are not very familiar with Iranian cinema, because the pacing of the story never becomes too slow for European viewers.