MartinHafer In 2011, Jafar Panahi was arrested in his country of Iran. Apparently, the film he was working on offended the wrong people and he was held, without charges, for some time before anyone was allowed to see him. All he knew is that it offended the regime and they decided to imprison him. Eventually, a trial was held and Panahi was sentenced to 6 years in prison as well as a 20 year ban on making movies or leaving the country. Exactly why still wasn't certain and there was an outcry from the international community. It didn't seem to have any effect and his appeal was rejected. He remains in prison today."This is Not a Film" was made just before Panahi went back to prison. What it consists of is a lot of raw and rambling footage. While Panahi talks a bit about his situation, he really doesn't get into discussing the regime nor his punishment. Instead, he does a lot of seemingly mundane things (the film begins with him eating breakfast) as well as blocking out and explaining what his film would have been--if he could have made it. Additionally, friends drop by and spend time with him and talk to the camera man. All this footage was smuggled out of Iran in a hidden flash drive and appears to have been unedited--just played out in its entirety.From a political standpoint, "This is Not a Film" is intriguing. Your heart really has to go out to Panahi and the situation is just evil. However, despite all this, the project is a complete bore to watch and desperately needed direction and editing. I would agree that this really isn't a film--and because of this, I am declining to give this one a vote. Interesting but also tedious and very, very difficult to watch. I really think using some of this footage and then making a documentary about Pahani's legal battle would have been exciting and worth seeing. Perhaps they can do this some time in the future.

mjcfoxx The first 10-20 minutes of this left me feeling sleepy. A filmmaker, unable to film because of his politics, films anyway, out of boredom. He has a script that was rejected by the government and he decides to act it out for his friend. However, he can't. It feels banal to him. It feels forced. He wants truth and it takes a long time to shirk your sense of self-consciousness when there's a camera in front of you.He puts in movies and shows his friend his favorite scenes, all the why standing by the phone, hoping to hear word on his appeal. It could take months before he knows something, although he is almost certainly going to jail. On the television, Japan is being crushed by a tsunami. On the streets, it is Fireworks Wednesday, a day the leadership in Iran has already said must end because it's not a religious holiday. A friend on the phone wants him to join him out on the street to watch the fireworks, but has to get off the phone because he's hit a checkpoint. He calls back a few minute later. It's okay, he said. They just looked at my camera. Anyway, this is Iran. At the moment, it feels we're in far greater danger of becoming like Iran than Iran is of becoming anything like us.

Robyn Nesbitt (nesfilmreviews) A late addition to the Cannes 2011 programme after being smuggled into France inside a cake, Iranian director Jafar Panahi's "This is Not a Film" (2011) is by no means your average political documentary. The 75-minute piece, shot partially on an iPhone, captures the day-to-day life of Panahi during a state-imposed house arrest in his Tehran apartment as he appeals a six year prison sentence and 20 year filmmaking ban for his opposition to the 2011 Iranian elections.Here in the Western world, our access to information, democratic governments, and human rights are taken for granted. Panahi and Mirtahmasb are putting their lives on the line to tell the stories they feel they must tell, in the hope that, one day, their nation will be able to have the same sort of pro-democratic freedom as the rest of us. Gripping entertainment. Little by little "This Is Not a Film" leads to a final scene of overwhelming power. Anyone interested in cinema and/or Iran owes it to themselves to become familiar with this "not" film.

jakobmyrhoj I saw this film (or not film, if you want..) at the CPH DOX festival yesterday and was spellbound by it. All reviews I have read, have focused on the political circumstances, and the fact that director Jafar Panahi has been blacklisted and sentenced by the Iranian government. I think many of these reviews focus too little on the beauty, warmth and wonderfully subtle message of this film, or the fresh and uplifting honesty and awareness of its cinematic language. To me the most important and moving aspects of this film, is found in the beauty of its atmosphere. In Panahis search for truth and honesty. In its daring and courageous will to let circumstances and coincidence be the writer and director. In its warm, original and surprisingly humorous form. The way the film evolves trough coincidence and the power of circumstance, it itself becomes a beautiful image of Mr. Panahis situation, and by doing that, it becomes a reflection on any persons situation, a reflection on existence itself. Dealing with society, suppression, creativity, filmmaking, human interaction, kindness and honesty I would find it difficult to explain what the film is actually about. Most of all its much more a poetic journey, than a political statement. If it is a statement its a statement of the humane. I understand why some will be bored watching this small, slow, quiet film. Any viewer will have to put himself in a state of slow enjoyment to really benefit from it. But it is absolutely worth it. To me one of the great achievements Mirtahmasb and Panahi makes here, is the fact that they made me feel, think and reflect more by watching two guys filming each other, than any million budget Hollywood movie has ever done. The self aware style of this film worked like a wake up call for me, making it so much stronger.If you can relate to topics like: filmmaking, art, inspiration or problems connected to being a living being in the world, I highly recommend this. My best wishes for Mr. Panahi, and congratulations with the achievement.