
Like Someone in Love
2012

2009
Not RatedDirector
Abbas Kiarostami
Runtime
92 minutes
Average Rating
No ratings yetSynopsis
A hundred and fourteen famous Iranian theater and cinema actresses and a French star: mute spectators at a theatrical representation of Khosrow and Shirin, a Persian poem from the twelfth century, put on stage by Kiarostami. The development of the text -- long a favorite in Persia and the Middle East -- remains invisible to the viewer of the film, the whole story is told by the faces of the women watching the show.
Overall Score
Good
Category Breakdown
LGBTQ+ Representation
The film lacks explicit depictions of same-sex intimacy or non-cisnormative identities. It offers a theoretical space for questioning identity through the performative nature of gender, but lacks realized narrative markers.
Gender Representation
Kiarostami centers the entire narrative on the female experience, subverting the traditional male-centric cinematic gaze. The collective of women serves as the primary driver of the film's emotional and intellectual landscape.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
The film features a robust Iranian ensemble that provides deep immersion into Middle Eastern traditions. The inclusion of a French star adds a subtle layer of cross-cultural exchange to the predominantly Iranian cast.
Religious & Cultural Diversity
The work engages in a sophisticated dialogue with history by viewing a classical Persian poem through a postmodern lens. It prioritizes psychological depth and individual perception over religious or nationalist dogmas.
Disability Representation
There are no prominent depictions of visible or invisible disabilities used as central plot devices or character traits within the film.
Strengths
Areas for Improvement
AI Analysis
Shirin is a radical departure from traditional storytelling, replacing a standard plot with a meta-cinematic focus on the spectators. By centering the film on the faces of 114 Iranian actresses, Kiarostami shifts the narrative power from the stage to the audience. The film excels in its centering of female agency and its authentic cultural immersion. It avoids Western-centric casting tropes, instead offering a sophisticated, intellectualized look at Iranian women and their collective presence. While the film lacks explicit LGBTQ+ narratives or disability representation, its structural subversion of the cinematic gaze provides a profound exploration of identity and perspective.

2012

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2024

2009

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2015
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