Director: Keivan Alimohammadi, Aliakbar Heydari
Cast: Hamed Komaily, Anahita Dargahi, Babak Karimi, Farrokh Nemati, Siavash Mofidi
Cinema Shahre Gheseh is a 2020 Iranian comedy-drama-romance film directed by Keivan Alimohammadi and Aliakbar Heydari, telling the story of a cinema projectionist hopelessly devoted to the silver screen who finds himself in a complicated courtship when the woman he loves has a father who despises everything about the film industry.
What is Cinema Shahre Gheseh about?
Davoud spends his days repairing cinema projectors and dreaming about the golden era of Iranian film, modeling his life on the legends of the screen. When he falls for a charming young woman, the path to winning her heart turns unexpectedly difficult — her father holds a fierce, uncompromising hostility toward movies and everyone who works in them, viewing the profession as morally corrupting. Rather than retreat, Davoud schemes and stumbles through a series of increasingly absurd situations, trying to keep his passion for cinema hidden while proving himself worthy. Each attempt to close the gap between his world and hers spirals into fresh comic chaos, building toward a collision between old prejudice and the enduring pull of love.
Cast & crew
The film features Hamed Komaily as the cinema-obsessed Davoud, bringing warmth and physical comedy to the lead role. Anahita Dargahi plays the woman at the center of the story, while Babak Karimi brings weight to the role of the disapproving father. The supporting ensemble includes Hedieh Tehrani, Farrokh Nemati, Siavash Mofidi, Roya Mirelmi, and Fariba Jeddikar, lending the film a familiar ensemble energy.
Context & significance
For Persian-speaking audiences abroad, Cinema Shahre Gheseh taps into a rich tradition of Iranian comedies built around class friction, family stubbornness, and the lengths people go to for love. The film's setting — a working cinema, populated by the ghosts of classic Iranian movies — gives it a nostalgic warmth that will resonate with viewers who grew up watching pre-revolution and post-revolution Iranian films with their families. The father-versus-suitor structure is a comedy staple in Iranian popular cinema, but the added layer of cinema itself being the source of conflict gives this film an extra dimension: it is, in part, a love letter to the art form. For diaspora viewers, that nostalgia carries particular weight, as the local cinema was often a cultural anchor before emigration.
Where & how to watch
Cinema Shahre Gheseh is available on K-Time in its original Persian audio. Watch on your browser, Android TV, or mobile device — no VPN required, no geo-blocking, and no extra download needed. Start a subscription and cancel anytime.