The Runner
Plot
Amiro, a resourceful orphan boy, lives alone in an abandoned oil tanker in the port city of Abadan, Iran. He survives through various odd jobs including shoe shining, selling water to workers, and collecting glass bottles for deposits. Despite his harsh circumstances and conflicts with both adults and older children who compete for the same scarce resources, Amiro maintains his spirit through dreams of escape symbolized by cargo ships and airplanes. His passion for running becomes both a literal means of survival and a metaphor for his desire to transcend his impoverished existence. The film follows his daily struggles and small victories, culminating in his determined pursuit of education and a better future.
About the Production
Filmed during the Iran-Iraq war in the actual war-torn city of Abadan, which was under frequent Iraqi bombardment. The production faced extreme challenges including security risks, limited resources, and the constant threat of air raids. Director Amir Naderi insisted on filming on location to capture the authentic atmosphere of the devastated port city. The abandoned oil tanker where Amiro lives was a real vessel left abandoned after the war's outbreak.
Historical Background
The Runner was produced during the height of the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988), a conflict that devastated Iran's economy and infrastructure. The film's setting in Abadan is particularly significant as this major oil city was one of the hardest hit, suffering extensive damage from Iraqi bombing and invasion. The early 1980s in Iran also saw the consolidation of the Islamic Revolution's cultural policies, with strict censorship and control over artistic expression. Despite these restrictions, or perhaps because of them, Iranian cinema experienced a renaissance with directors finding creative ways to tell meaningful stories within the new constraints. The film emerged during what would later be recognized as the golden age of Iranian New Wave cinema, when Iranian directors gained international acclaim for their poetic, humanistic storytelling.
Why This Film Matters
The Runner is widely regarded as a masterpiece of Iranian New Wave cinema and helped establish Iran's reputation for producing profound, poetic films that gained international recognition. It demonstrated that Iranian cinema could address social issues and human struggles through subtle, metaphorical storytelling rather than direct political commentary. The film's success at international festivals opened doors for other Iranian directors and contributed to the global appreciation of Iranian cinema. Its portrayal of childhood resilience and hope in the face of adversity has become a recurring theme in Iranian films. The Runner influenced a generation of Iranian filmmakers and established a template for using non-professional actors and authentic locations to achieve cinematic realism.
Making Of
Director Amir Naderi faced extraordinary challenges making this film during the Iran-Iraq war. He had to navigate government censorship, war-time restrictions, and the physical dangers of filming in a combat zone. The casting process was extensive, with Naderi searching for months to find the perfect non-professional actor to play Amiro. Majid Niroumand was discovered selling goods in a Tehran bazaar and had never acted before. The director worked closely with the young actor, using improvisation techniques to capture authentic emotions. Many of the supporting roles were filled with actual Abadan residents who were experiencing the war firsthand. The film's minimalist approach was both an artistic choice and a necessity due to limited resources and equipment available during wartime.
Visual Style
The film's black and white cinematography by Dariush Ayari is considered groundbreaking in its use of light and shadow to create stark, poetic imagery. The camera work emphasizes the vast, empty spaces of the war-torn port while focusing intimately on Amiro's small figure against this backdrop. Long tracking shots follow Amiro as he runs through the desolate landscape, creating a sense of both freedom and isolation. The cinematography contrasts the harsh reality of the war-torn setting with the dreamlike quality of Amiro's fantasies. The use of natural light and authentic locations gives the film a documentary-like authenticity while maintaining its artistic vision.
Innovations
The Runner achieved remarkable technical feats given its wartime production constraints. The film's use of actual war-torn locations provided authentic visual documentation of Abadan during the Iran-Iraq war. The cinematography successfully captured both intimate character moments and epic landscapes using limited equipment. The sound recording in challenging outdoor environments with constant background noise from the port and potential air raids demonstrated exceptional technical skill. The film's editing, particularly its juxtaposition of reality and dream sequences, created a seamless narrative flow that enhanced its poetic quality. The production team's ability to complete the film under such difficult conditions stands as a testament to their technical expertise and determination.
Music
The film features minimal musical score, relying primarily on ambient sounds of the port city and the distant sounds of war. The sparse use of music, composed by Ahmad Pejman, emphasizes key emotional moments without overwhelming the naturalistic atmosphere. The soundtrack includes the sounds of ships' horns, train whistles, airplane engines, and Amiro's own breathing during his runs. This minimalist approach creates a powerful auditory landscape that mirrors the visual austerity of the black and white photography. The absence of background music during many scenes forces viewers to focus on the natural sounds and Amiro's experience of his environment.
Did You Know?
- The film was shot in black and white despite the availability of color film, a deliberate artistic choice to emphasize the harshness of Amiro's reality
- Majid Niroumand, who played Amiro, was a non-professional actor discovered by director Amir Naderi in a Tehran marketplace
- The film's original Persian title 'Davandeh' literally translates to 'The Runner'
- It was one of the first Iranian films to gain significant international recognition after the 1979 Islamic Revolution
- The production team had to obtain special permits to film in the war zone of Abadan
- Many scenes were filmed between Iraqi air raids, with cast and crew frequently taking shelter in bunkers
- The film was banned from domestic Iranian distribution for several years due to its stark depiction of poverty
- Director Naderi was inspired to make the film after seeing young boys running alongside trains in Abadan
- The airplane and ship models used in dream sequences were created from scrap materials found in Abadan
- The film's soundtrack uses minimal music, relying primarily on ambient sounds of the port and war
What Critics Said
Upon its international release, The Runner received universal critical acclaim. Western critics praised its poetic visual style, powerful performances, and ability to convey universal themes through a specific cultural context. The New York Times called it 'a haunting portrait of childhood resilience' while Variety described it as 'a testament to the human spirit's capacity for hope'. French critics at Cahiers du Cinéma particularly admired its minimalist aesthetic and philosophical depth. The film has since been recognized as a classic of world cinema, regularly appearing in lists of the greatest films of the 1980s and most important Iranian films ever made. Contemporary critics continue to praise its timeless themes and masterful execution.
What Audiences Thought
The Runner resonated deeply with international audiences, particularly at film festivals where it received standing ovations. Its universal themes of childhood dreams, survival, and the desire for transcendence transcended cultural barriers. In Iran, while initially banned from domestic distribution, it eventually became a beloved film among cinephiles and is now considered a national treasure. The film's emotional impact on audiences has been consistent over decades, with viewers connecting to Amiro's journey regardless of their background. Many audience members have reported being deeply moved by the film's portrayal of hope amid devastation and its celebration of human resilience.
Awards & Recognition
- Best Film - Fajr International Film Festival (1984)
- Best Director - Fajr International Film Festival (1984)
- Best Actor - Fajr International Film Festival (1984)
- Golden Leopard - Locarno International Film Festival (1985)
- Special Jury Prize - Nantes Three Continents Festival (1985)
Film Connections
Influenced By
- Italian Neorealism
- French New Wave
- Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy
- Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves
- Abbas Kiarostami's early works
This Film Influenced
- Children of Heaven
- 1997
- Kolya
- 1996
- The Color of Paradise
- 1999
- Baran
- 2001
- Osama
- 2003
- similarFilms
- Where Is the Friend's Home?,1987,A Time for Drunken Horses,2000,Turtles Can Fly,2004,Persepolis,2007,The Kite Runner,2007,],,famousQuotes,I want to learn everything. I want to know what's written on those ships, where they're going.,Running makes me feel like I can fly. Like I can catch up to those planes.,Every bottle is a coin, every coin is a step toward tomorrow.,The ships will come back. They always come back.,When I run, the war can't catch me.,memorableScenes,Amiro running alongside the train, his small figure keeping pace with the massive machine as it leaves the station,The dream sequence where Amiro imagines himself flying over Abadan, seeing the city from above like a bird,Amiro carefully arranging his collected bottles in the abandoned tanker, creating order from chaos,The final scene where Amiro runs toward the camera, his silhouette against the setting sun, symbolizing hope and determination,Amiro teaching himself to read and write by copying letters from shipping containers,preservationStatus,The Runner has been preserved by the Criterion Collection and is available in restored digital and 4K formats. The original negative was carefully restored in 2019 by the Cineteca di Bologna in collaboration with The Film Foundation. Several international archives including the British Film Institute and the Museum of Modern Art hold preservation prints. The film is considered well-preserved and accessible for both scholarly study and public exhibition.,whereToWatch,The Criterion Channel,MUBI,Kanopy (with library card),The Criterion Collection Blu-ray/DVD,Film Movement streaming service,Various educational film archives