Offside

Golden Berlin Bear nominee, and Silver Berlin Bear winner, "Offside," is a psuedo-documentary whose feel is emphasized by the use of non actors, near real-time shooting, and occasionally, a handheld camera. The writer, producer, director, Jafar Panahi is a widely acclaimed director; winner of twenty-three awards, and five nominations. He is also the director of "Dayereh" ("The Circle"), a less comedic film that criticizes the treatment of women in Iran, and is banned by the Islamic Government of Iran. "Offside" has not yet been cleared for release in Iran.

It is the World Cup 2005, Iran versus Bahrain. Throngs of soccer fanatics fill the streets wearing jerseys, flags, and other sports paraphernalia. The majority of the fans have two things in common; they are all headed towards the stadium, and they are all men - most of them anyway. In Iran, women are not allowed to enter sports stadiums for fear that they would be exposed to an onslaught of harsh language that the impassioned male audience would naturally indulge in.

Nonetheless, six women who are serious soccer devotees, mostly unaware of each other, attempt to sneak into the stadium with a variety of amusing costumes - all attempting to resemble men. But by the middle of the film, they are all held captive in a make-shift pen that is adjacent to a stadium entrance where the game can merely be overheard. The soldiers are dim-witted country boys, and the women held captive are sharper, more assertive than your stereotypical Middle Eastern woman. This makes for amusing dialogue at times.

The film is riddled with situations, behaviors, and decisions all aimed towards showing the hypocrisy of this particular law. The soldiers curse while watching the game through the entrance - all in earshot of the captive ladies in drag. Bahraini women who gathered by the entrance (though, are never shown) are eventually allowed entry, but placed in a glass room to "protect" them from foul language. One of the more convincing women in drag asks about the Japanese women that were allowed into the stadium to view the recent Japan versus Iran game. The most convincing argument the soldier can come up with is that those women don't understand the language.

The film is paradoxically light-hearted - though it focuses on such important issues. With its wit, and subtext, "Offside" manages to be simultaneously entertaining, and poignant. It ends with a sense of hope pertinent to keeping these young women moving forward. It is, without a doubt, a must-see.