The President

I don't know who wrote comedy drama at the top of this page. The only excuse I can make for such an error is somebody confusing satire with comedy, because there's a lot of satire here but not a shred of comedy. In fact, we are ended here with a tragedy, that only the director's political ideology stopped before it had reached its natural conclusion. The ending of this film is not the ending that flows from the story but rather the ending Mohsen Makhmalbaf wishes he could write for all the political sagas unfolding around the world.

As is, this ending is a problem, but when we get Makhmalbaf's talent for combining hauntingly beautiful images into an unforgettable story. The amazing actors performing in this film headed by Misha Gomiashvili and Dachi Orvelashvili in the two leads. The cinematography that presents all this tragic beauty on screen, the perfect editing of this movie - think about the fact that the most memorable image from this film is the one we never see on screen (with a pitchfork) - the final scene of the film becomes almost a minor issue. It's another must see masterpiece of Makhmalbaf, if you get the chance don't miss it.

The authority, power, and money dictatorship possess is fully presented through the screen in this film "The President". The plot's development in the exposition focused on the power dictator has over his people. "The President" relies on the technique of foreshadowing a lot throughout the film. The relationship between the dictator and his grandson was a major element that stood out to me. The run of the president was the reflection of the fall of the dictatorship and the rise of revolution. The particular technique that was the most essential part of the film and that made this film more dramatic was presenting the violence without actually showing it. Let me paint you a picture, a president who is on a run and warranted to be killed for a high reward in return. Throughout the run, there were many plots that highlighted the presence of violence under the influence of authoritarian leadership. Overall, the film presented the concept of family, justice, and dictatorship well. The purpose of this film was to spread awareness of the value of democracy and let the audience understand the consequences of authoritarian leadership. The film's plot developed relatively slow pasted, so if you don't like to spend that much time or can't pay close attention. This film might give you a headache. But, other than that this film is done very artistically and beautifully.

Set in a non existent country we meet El Presidente, or 'your Majesty' as he likes to be called. He is a nasty, self obsessed man who has surrounded himself with the trappings of any self respecting tyrant. His children are spoilt, he out corrupts the most corrupt and most of his fawning subjects hate his twisted guts.

Then the people just crack over his latest outrage and a revolution kicks off; as he has been detached from reality for so long he is unaware quite how bad things are and elects to stay to sort out the kerfuffle. His grandson – a mere boy- also wants to stay with him, and grandpops relents. Soon they are on their own and having to survive by their wits.

Now this is a film made in Georgian and the sub titles could have been better, but it has a momentum right from the start that just grips you and makes you want to go for the ride. The performances are excellent, the action sequences realistic and often brutal. The filth and detritus that we see as the plot unfolds can be quite moving too. Add to all of that a very humanist story and you get a well made, conceived and presented original piece of cinema.

The fact that this is a fictional country means, that it is not penned in by the constraints of history and so is free to concentrate on the human side of the story. This also means that we avoid political dogma and just see what extremism can do to people. Well worth a punt even if you are half curious as I strongly feel you will not be disappointed.

Silence against cruelty only helps tyranny to become stronger, even worse than the worst dictator is the people who remain silent in his reign of terror. The president (2014) is poetic, poignant and precise.

A dictator falls into a position of traitor in his country as the result of social conflictional rebel. That unnamed country metaphorizes any dictatorship regyme in the real world. The president faces the cruelty, poverty and madness which are caused by his despotic politics. What an irony of truth is that Iranian Director Makhmalbaf had to shoot the film in Georgia and Tajikistan because of conservative preventions of Iranian governments. The president is really a brilliant movie and it indicates Makhmalbaf's top level of directorship experience.