Once Upon A Time, Cinema (Ruzi Ruzegari, Cinema A.K.A. Nasereddin Shah Actor-e Cinema)

Makhmalbafís tenth feature and first comedy is set during the Qajar dynasty. It tells the story of the Cinematographer (a Charlie Chaplin-like character) who introduces the magic of the movies to the Persian court. The Shah, who has 84 wives and 200 children, is initially opposed to the new medium, but after a screening he falls desperately in love with the film's heroine. Contains clips from classic Iranian films such as A Banquet in Hell, Ghaisar, The Cow, Still Life, and Downpour.