اسب حیوان نجیبی است | Absolutely Tame Is a Horse / Asb Heyvan Najibi Ast (2011)

A prisoner gets out for 24 hours, and in that single day and night he ends up tangled in the plans of a group of strangers. Asb Heyvan Najibi Ast, known in English as Absolutely Tame Is a Horse, is Abdolreza Kahani's black comedy, carried by Reza Attaran in one of his most praised roles.

One Night Outside the Prison Walls

The story is built around a short window of freedom. During his 24 hours outside, Attaran's character crosses paths with a group of people he did not expect to meet, and what should be a brief leave turns into a chain of encounters in Tehran. Kahani treats the situation with dark, deadpan humour rather than broad gags.

Reza Attaran Heads a Long Ensemble

The opening credits list the cast in order of appearance: Reza Attaran, Habib Rezaei, Parsa Pirouzfar, Mahtab Keramati, Karen Homayounfar, Baran Kosari, Mehran Ahmadi, Mahaya Petrosian, Babak Hamidian, Pantea Bahram, Ashkan Khatibi, Ahmad Mehranfar and Shahrad Radmehr. It is an unusually well-known line-up for such a compact film.

Best actor at the Iran Cinema Celebration

Attaran won the best actor award at the Iran Cinema Celebration for his performance, a sign of how far he could move beyond the broad television comedies that first made him famous.

Kahani's Fifth Feature

Asb Heyvan Najibi Ast was the fifth feature by Abdolreza Kahani, who wrote and directed it. It was made in 1389 (2010–2011) and produced by Soleiman Alimohammad. Mohammadreza Sokout was the director of photography and Shima Monfared edited the film. Karen Homayounfar, who also acts in it, composed the music. The film was shot in Tehran and released in cinemas by Filmiran on 18 Azar 1390.

Where It Fits in Kahani's Work

Kahani's films often examine Iranian society through small, oddly humorous stories, and this one is among the most accessible of them because of Attaran's presence. Viewers who like dark humour and stories compressed into a single day will find it a distinctive choice.

Asb Heyvan Najibi Ast Q&A

Asb Heyvan Najibi Ast is a compact, offbeat comedy that shows Kahani and Attaran at their most playful.