The Pear Tree

(1998, DCP, 96m, Iran, Farsi with English subtitles) dir Daruish Mehrjui w/Homayoun Ershadi, Golshifteh Farahani, Mohammad Reza Shahbani Nouri. Most well known for his influential Iranian New Wave film The Cow (1969), Mehrjui’s The Pear Tree examines nostalgia, love, and memory through the autumnal scenes of cinematographer Mahmoud Kalari. When author Mahmoud (Ershadi) struggles with writer’s block, he retreats to the country house of his childhood. There, he finds a prized pear tree that refuses to bear fruit, which serves as a visual metaphor for his inability to produce work and a reminder of a lost love from his youth. Starring Farahani in her feature film debut, Mehrjui’s masterpiece saturates middle-aged doubt and regret in golden hues and idyllic landscapes. 

The 2025 Mizna Film Series presents some of our favorite archival classics from the past 60 years of Iran’s cinema history. Beginning with a beloved classic from Abbas Kiarostami and ending with a tribute to Dariush Mehrjui, we’re proud to present these films in collaboration with the Twin Cities Iranian Culture Collective and the Trylon Cinema.

7:00 $10