Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
Set in a leper colony in the north of Iran, The House is Black juxtaposes "ugliness," of which there is much in the world as stated in the opening scenes, with religion and gratitude.
Forough Farrokhzad's sole film is a singular achievement in documentary cinema. The cinematography is extraordinary — raw, intimate, and poetic, capturing disfigured faces and bodies with unflinching yet deeply humanizing vision. Its novelty is undeniable: the juxtaposition of religious verse, Persian poetry, and stark imagery of a leper colony creates a one-of-a-kind tone that influenced generations of Iranian filmmakers. Acting is not conventionally applicable (documentary subjects), keeping that score modest. The narrative structure is loose and impressionistic rather than conventionally plotted, which is intentional but limits classical plot scoring. The ending, while quietly moving, doesn't fully resolve the emotional tension it builds.