No Men Allowed

Rambod Javan's 2011 Iranian film begins when the headmistress of a girls' school, known for her strict rules, is forced to bring in a male teacher for the first time to prepare her students for the chemistry olympiad. The expected chaos arrives, but that is not what interests the film; the real question is who the rules are made for and what they protect. The comic template is used to carry an argument that could not be made directly in Iranian cinema: separate education, supervision, and how the young bend both. The tension between Reza Attaran's bumbling teacher and Vishka Asayesh's headmistress is well built. Its weakness is turning toward an emotional resolution in the second half and giving up the sharpness of the first. Who it's for: viewers curious about Iranian popular cinema and school comedies. Who it's not for: anyone expecting direct political criticism, or who will find the shifts of tone inconsistent.