Joy Of Madness

Joy Of Madness

*1/2

Reviewed by: David Haviland

Joy Of Madness is, in some respects, a remarkable film. It's by a 14-year-old Iranian girl, Hana Makhmalbaf, who may be the world's youngest film director.

It's a "making of" documentary, detailing the casting process for her older sister's film, the equally precocious Afghan drama, At Five In The Afternoon.

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It provides some compelling insights into the fear and distrust still prevalent in post-Taliban Afghanistan, where women still wear burkhas and people are reluctant to be filmed.

However, judged on grown-up terms, this is a sloppy effort, with repetitive scenes and amateurish handheld camera work.

Reviewed on: 16 Jul 2004
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Fourteen-year-old Iranian girl shoots a documentary about the making of a film in Afghanistan.
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Director: Hana Makhmalbaf

Writer: Hana Makhmalbaf

Year: 2003

Runtime: 73 minutes

BBFC: PG - Parental Guidance

Country: Iran

Festivals:

Afghan 2009

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