You are here:

Boycott

Name: Boycott
Director: Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Released: 1986
Duration: 95 min

Representation Score

3.2/10

Limited

1986

Director

Mohsen Makhmalbaf

Runtime

95 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Boycott is a sophisticated exploration of moral ambiguity that challenges the cliché of the unshakeable revolutionary. By focusing on the psychological erosion of a political prisoner, the film offers a nuanced look at human vulnerability under state oppression. The film's primary strength lies in its cultural authenticity and its refusal to cater to a Western gaze. It presents a localized struggle that resonates with its own socioeconomic and political realities. However, the film is limited by traditional gender hierarchies. The narrative centers on male political ability to act, leaving female characters to navigate the consequences of systemic conflict with limited autonomy.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Boycott have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ identities or non-straight relationships. It focuses on the political and family struggles of the main character.

How does Boycott portray gender?

Limited

The film follows a traditional patriarchal structure. The protagonist's wife faces economic and personal hardships, but her role is mainly reactive to systemic pressures.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Boycott?

Excellent

The film showcases a culturally specific, non-Western cast, providing a departure from Anglo-centric norms. It centers an Iranian narrative and highlights the socioeconomic realities of a rural village.

How does Boycott represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film excels in critiquing institutional power and exploring the moral complexities of political dissent. It examines the tension between individuals and the collective through a lens of systemic critique.

Does Boycott include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no specific depictions of visible or invisible disabilities in the narrative.

Present on Screen

Provides authentic representation by centering an Iranian narrative and rural socioeconomic realities.
Offers a profound critique of institutional power and the moral complexities of political dissent.
Subverts conventional political heroism by focusing on psychological erosion and moral ambiguity.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-straight relationships.
Follows a traditional patriarchal structure where female roles are largely reactive.
Does not feature depictions of visible or invisible disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Valeh, a member of a leftist organization, is arrested by the SAVAK and sentenced to death. In prison, he reconsiders his relationships with members of his political cell, and begins to doubt the validity of the ideas for which he is condemned. At the same time, his comrades pressure him to make a sacrifice for their cause, and his beloved wife experiences personal problems and economic hardships.

How are these scores produced? →