Original poster artwork · Great Cinema Master List
Spoiler-free premise
After losing sister Zahra's shoes, Tehran schoolboy Ali secretly shares his sneakers with her while trying to replace them.
Read expanded premiseLonger, still spoiler-free+
Nine-year-old Ali loses his younger sister Zahra's repaired shoes while running errands in Tehran. Afraid to tell their struggling parents, the siblings coordinate use of Ali's sneakers for separate school shifts as he searches for a replacement.
Why it belongs
Children of Heaven transforms one lost pair of shoes into apprehension, sibling tenderness, and a rigorous child's-eye portrait of economic pressure.
Read expanded why it belongsThe fuller editorial case+
Amir Farrokh Hashemian and Bahare Seddiqi carry urgency through small practical problems rather than melodramatic pleading. Running feet, school schedules, alleys, household chores, and the siblings' whispered exchanges make scarcity concrete without condescension.
Major award wins
No verified wins in this six-institution crosswalk.
Awards are reference metadata only · zero points in 40/40/20
Good for
Date NightFamilyFilm Club
Descriptive guidance derived from rating, genre, runtime, mood, and GCML scores.
Institutional reference ranks
Sight & Sound—IMDb Top 250191AFI 100—
Reference metadata only · not part of the 40/40/20 score
Great Cinema Master List scores
Greatness8.5
Engagement8.9
Ease9.5
Persian · PG Narrative Feature Mood: Funny & Bittersweet
