The White Balloon(Badkonake sefid)

An inspiring exemplar of how the simplest forms of filmmaking can be the most affecting, Jafar Panahi’s revelatory debut feature, about a girl’s journey alone into the streets of Tehran, heralded an international breakthrough for Iranian cinema with its audacious subtlety and purity. Winner of the Cannes Camera d’Or, this neo-realist film unfolds in real time, tracing the girl’s quest to buy a goldfish that leads her on misadventures along the way, which turns into a revealing odyssey. Cowriting the script with his mentor Abbas Kiarostami, Panahi captures the city and human landscape through a child’s ever-curious eye, crafting a modest yet fascinating slice of life with near-universal appeal.

Cannes Film Festival: Camera d'Or

17/8 (Sun): Seminar with Li Cheuk-to and Ernest Chan