Director: Masud Kimiai
Cast: Behrouz Vossoughi, Farzaneh Taidi, Faramarz Gharibian, Jafar Vali, Jalal Pishvaian
Khak is a 1970 Iranian drama film directed by Masud Kimiai, one of the defining voices of Iranian New Wave cinema. Set against the rural landscapes of Iran, this 96-minute feature pits traditional farming families against the pressures of land ownership, legal claim, and cultural upheaval in a post-landlord era.
What is Khak about?
When the village landlord dies, his European widow moves quickly to assert control over the land long cultivated by Baba Sobhan and his family. His two sons, who have worked this earth for years, refuse to surrender what they consider their own. They commit to honoring their obligations — promising to pay what is owed at the proper time — but the widow's demands escalate beyond what a simple payment can resolve. The conflict draws in neighbors, loyalties are tested, and the family must decide how far they will go to hold onto the soil that defines them. Kimiai frames the confrontation not just as a legal dispute but as a struggle over dignity, inheritance, and identity rooted in the land itself.
Cast & crew
Behrouz Vossoughi, one of Iranian cinema's most iconic leading men, anchors the film alongside Farzaneh Taidi and Faramarz Gharibian. Jafar Vali, Jalal Pishvaian, Parvin Solaymani, Nezameddin Shafai, and Nematollah Gorji round out an ensemble deeply familiar to audiences of classic Persian-language cinema.
Context & significance
Khak arrived at a pivotal moment in Iranian filmmaking history, when a generation of directors was pushing beyond commercial melodrama toward grittier, socially conscious storytelling. Kimiai's work — including this film — drew heavily from themes of rural poverty, class tension, and masculine honor codes that resonated deeply with working-class Iranian audiences. For diaspora viewers, Khak offers a window into the Iran of their parents' and grandparents' generations: a pre-revolution landscape of village life, feudal residue, and the collision between tradition and a changing world. The film captures a social order on the edge of transformation, making it both a historical document and an emotionally direct drama.
Where & how to watch
Khak is available to stream on K-Time in its original Persian audio. Watch on the web, on your TV, or on your phone — no VPN needed, no geo-blocking, and no extra download required. Start watching today and cancel anytime.