Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- witty
- irreverent
- playful
- film history night
- cinephile gathering
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The plot centers on introducing cinematography to the Qajar court and reworking the history of early Iranian film.
Mirza Ebrahim Khan travels into the past, where Nassereddin Shah encounters the actress from Dokhtare Lor and becomes an actor.
Nassereddin Shah shifts from patron of a new industry to an aspiring actor captivated by cinema.
The film uses Iranian film history, Persian court culture, and theatrical parody to examine cinema’s emergence.
Films like Once Upon a Time, Cinema, and why
Sherlock Jr.
meta-cinematic comedy that playfully reimagines film history through theatrical invention
The Purple Rose of Cairo
irreverent historical fantasy blending national history, cinema, and comic anachronism
Day for Night
self-reflexive comedy about filmmaking, performance, and the seductive power of movies
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
stylized historical satire using fantasy and theatricality to critique power
Movie Details
- Director
- Mohsen Makhmalbaf
- Release Date
- 1992-02-01
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (10)
Cast
- Ezzatollah Entezami
- Mehdi Hashemi
- Mohammadali Keshavarz
- Akbar Abdi
- Dariush Arjmand
- Fatemeh Motamed-Arya
- Mahaya Petrossian
- Parvaneh Massoumi
- Jahangir Forouhar
- Morteza Ahmadi
Common questions
- What is Once Upon a Time, Cinema about?
- A mischievous Iranian historical fantasy sends a pioneering filmmaker into the Qajar court, where a king’s fascination with cinema turns him into an unlikely star.
- What is Once Upon a Time, Cinema like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Once Upon a Time, Cinema as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Once Upon a Time, Cinema violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Once Upon a Time, Cinema.
- Which films are like Once Upon a Time, Cinema?
- Films with a similar feel include Sherlock Jr., The Purple Rose of Cairo, Day for Night, and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.
- How long is Once Upon a Time, Cinema?
- Once Upon a Time, Cinema runs 92 minutes.
