Blackboards has an interesting premise, setting and historical backdrop, and a realism typical of new wave Iranian cinema. It seems to meander though and stop a bit short of Halabja, both literally and figuratively speaking. Occasionally thought-provoking or slightly touching but never follows through on anything.

Hideous. I hoped it to be somewhat interesting but this annoyed me to death. Maybe because it's another culture, but I can't understand why they had to say everything 10 times.

Is there anything more cinematic, or poignant, than the image of a group of nomad teachers wandering around the mountains of the Iran/Iraq border with blackboards on their backs? For someone who was only twenty when she directed it, Samira Makhmalbaf made a film that director twice her age have been unable to create themselves, a poignant work which emphasises small details and makes them extremely meaningful. Its a tremendous achievement.

As a westerner it's such a unique film. It really helps to draw a parallel to modern U.S. Society, we have people who can read but choose not to, but we see people who can't read, yet still choose not to learn.

An interesting film, fascinating in it's modest and somewhat mysterious being.