which do you think the average person would know more or less about represent iranian cinema or iranian football . interestingly and the two come to the forefront of controversial iranian filmmaker jafar panahi late film entitle offside and a tale that use football or access to football a a backdrop for a series of scene revolve around one right to do something or go somewhere and an individual right to extend that courtesy if and when they would like to . the odd thing be and you do not come away from offside have learnt about iranian football or too much about iranian cinema ( unless it an education in panahi controversial style ) and but you do come away feel enlightened and that at least someone from iran have take a controversial issue that be clearly still very much in force in a nation like iran and and be willing to present it to an international audience rather than exploit it . i can remember the 2006 world cup and i be sure many people can . it be the summer after my initial year out at university and after the slog that be my first year and a summer of world cup football act a a nicely timed tonic . needless to say and i saw practically every game bar the one they show simultaneously with the other one at the very end of the group stag so that to avoid incidence a see in spain 82 when it be think west germany and austria transpire to get a result between them that would see them both through at the expense of algeria . anyone in britain that be watch the bbc broadcast of the iran mexico game and both nation first of the tournament and may remember that at the top of the show and the bbc football anchorman gary lineker let off a snide comment to introduce the match . it go something like represent we have see giant germany and england and argentina and holland play but now we get to see . mexico and iran battle it out . the emphasis on the latter two be inferior be clear and that maybe watch them be a chore . it a shame because there be people and and film like offside present them and who be really willing to see iran play to the point where they risk their well be to achieve it and it sad when people in a position of power dismiss what they deem inferior when there be others who would do anything to have the chance to otherwise engage . when immediately thinking of the word iran and football and world cup and my mind fly back to the france 98 game between say nation and america . here be a film about a world cup game of sort involve iran but where some or indeed most iranian filmmaker may well have opt to present a tale revolve around iran famous victory over the united state and what that mean to them and director panahi choose to look at what go on behind the scene and present a story from the stand a woman be bar from football match and be not allow to live the ecstasy of win a game of immense magnitude . you can imagine a heavy hand film detail iran victory a a lumbering propaganda film design to exploit a they wouldefeat a western power or enemy at a sport they perhaps be not expect to do so in . a couple of film that spring to mind when it come to beat the unbeatable at their own game be 2001 indian film lagaan and in which the indian peasant defeat the ruling british at cricket . similalry and 2005 the game of their life see the american defeat the english at a football match only this time in the 1950 world cup . the difference between these film and offside be immense while offside be look at a situation behind a state mentality and dare to explore an essence of feminism a the girl and try to see their beloved iran defeat bahrain and qualify for the world cup and be round up like animal and keep in a crude purgatory mere foot from a bar window that would allow them to see the game . the reasoning be to do with the foul language the men amay and not will and but amay use during the game . the film present iran a so incompetent that they can not take away a man right to swear and ban the bad language but must ban a woman right to see the game all together it be no wonder panahi film be itself ban in iran . but panahi remembers to include what make the rule so crazy in the first place by frequently allow his female character to both smoke cigarette and use mobile phone and two thing the doctor and scientist will have you think be far more dangerous to the human body or mind than hear a little bit of foul language at a football match . panahi pay special attention to the title of his film offside which itself be a ruling within football detail when an attacker be catch try to gain an advantage in the field of play . the parallel run with the womens position in the film a these advance ( supposedly without right ) individual be catch try to put one over the opposition team while that be the state itself . i think offside be one of the good film to come out of the middle east and surround gulf area that i have see . it a tense but humbling film about people who do not carry any acting history accord to the imdb and thus and the acting be raw and real add that quaint neo realist aura to it all . the immediate end be haunt and the constant verbal battle between the male soldier and female wrong doer who dare to defy the state be wonderful . i also think for anyone to actually dislike the film for the reason i have mention show a distinct level of callous and either that or you work in the iranian government .