Travellers (1992) User Reviews

First, there's a horrific accident. Then things get worse.

[Red-125 · 8/10 · 8 August 2022]

The Iranian movie Mosaferan (1992) was shown in the U. S. with the translated title Travellers. It was written and directed by Bahram Beyzaie.

The film begins with a family traveling to a wedding. Within the first few minutes, the family is involved in a terrible traffic accident. The plot shows us what happens to the people planning the wedding as they wait for their out-of-town guests to arrive.

Of course, wedding customs in Iran are different from wedding customs in the U. S. However, the basic (terrible) situation transcends culture and custom.

The direction is solid, and the actors are excellent. I particularly appreciated the work of veteran Iranian star Jamileh Sheikhi as Grandmother. Grandmother clings to her own reality, and refuses to be shaken from it.

Mosaferan has a solid IMDb rating of 7.4. I thought that it was better than that, and rated it 8.

Travellers rest.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 10/10 · 13 August 2018]

Reading an announcement on the ICM's boards of an upcoming poll for the best films of 1991,I started trying to gather titles up to view for it. Around the same time,a challenge came up on the site to watch as many films from the 90's-present as possible in a month. Having recently seen Dariush Mehrjui's Pop-Art 007-spoof debut Almaas 33 (1967-also reviewed),it felt like the perfect time to follow the 1991 wave of the Iran New Wave.

View on the film:

Following the car on the doomed journey to the wedding, writer/directing auteur Bahram Beizai & cinematographer Mehrdad Fakhimi take inspiration from French cinema of the late 50's/early 60's to give this entry in the Iran New Wave (INW) an incredibly fluid, ultra-stylized appearance, with the plucked strings of Babak Bayat's score and winding turns round every corner of the road signalling the oncoming tragedy.

Set in the heart of Iran's suburbia, Fakhimi coats the movie in a brisk light blue appearance, highlighting the break in the earthy marriage traditions the family are now unable to follow.

Getting to the church on time, Beizai rolls out a breath-taking 30 minute final, weaving the camera between the guests/family at the wedding/ unofficial wake and tugging at fear from the deaths with dazzling shots of the walls closing in.

Spinning the INW into surrealism, Beizai reflects a spectacular final sequence, which brings light back to the lives of the guests/families, and allows the deceased to cross over to the bright light.

Turning what should be the happiest day for the family into the darkest, the screenplay by Beizai carves the abrasions within the family, (played by a magnificent ensemble cast) with superbly written dialogue that blends poetic realism with the INW's earthy roots following the families on their travelers.

I just can say Wow !

[ummaguumma · 10/10 · 5 February 2006]

What a film ! I wonder how I can describe the feeling I've got about Mosaferan . It's really great . Great directing by Beizaee , Great theatrical actings , Great lighting , Very great mizanscenes and ... one of the greatest endings I've ever seen . To understand Beizaee's formalistic style it's a good example . The film discusses LIFE and DEATH . In a situation of wedding DEATH comes and changes everything for all but one ! The grandmother who believes that their guests aren't dead and in the end ... OH ! I'll spoil it if I tell it .You must see it and you'll say WOW like me . I suggest this to all of you and I think I should cut the speech and let you go and watch it !