Overview
A poignant tale of a boy's longing for acceptance and connection in a world that seems to reject him.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- melancholic
- tender
- contemplative
- quiet evening
- reflective family viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a deeply moving, visually lyrical Iranian family drama whose natural imagery and performances give its father son conflict lasting emotional power.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Mohammad's blindness shapes how the film presents birds, trees, water, craft, and his emotional relationship to the natural world.
Hashem wants to distance himself from Mohammad because he regards his son's blindness as burdensome and embarrassing before remarriage.
The village, forest, streams, birds, and changing seasons mirror Mohammad's warmth and Hashem's inner conflict.
Mohammad rescues a fallen baby bird and consistently responds to nature and family with tenderness despite adult rejection.
Films like The Color of Paradise, and why
Where Is the Friend's Home?
shared intimate family drama, rural setting, emotional restraint, and child-centered perspective
Children of Heaven
shared Iranian art cinema tradition, child protagonist, lyrical natural landscapes, and compassionate humanism
The Son
shared father son conflict, rural family tensions, contemplative pacing, and emotionally devastating realism
Movie Details
- Director
- Majid Majidi
- Release Date
- 1999-02-08
- Runtime
- 88 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (189)
Cast
- Hossein Mahjoub
- Mohsen Ramezani
- Salameh Feyzi
- Farahnaz Safari
- Elham Sharifi
- Behzad Rafi
- Mohamad Rahmani
- Morteza Fatemi
- Kamal Mirkarimi
- Masoome Zinati
Common questions
- What is The Color of Paradise about?
- A blind Iranian boy's love of nature and family exposes the painful distance created by his father's shame.
- What is The Color of Paradise like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Color of Paradise as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Color of Paradise violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Color of Paradise as mild.
- What did critics think of The Color of Paradise?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a deeply moving, visually lyrical Iranian family drama whose natural imagery and performances give its father son conflict lasting emotional power.
- Which films are like The Color of Paradise?
- Films with a similar feel include Where Is the Friend's Home?, Children of Heaven, and The Son.
- How long is The Color of Paradise?
- The Color of Paradise runs 88 minutes.
