TEHRAN- A restored 4K version of the late Iranian filmmaker Bahram Beyzaie’s acclaimed film “Bashu, the Little Stranger” will be screened at Cinéma Moderne in Montreal, Canada, on Wednesday evening.

The screening is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. local time, with English subtitles, offering audiences an opportunity to revisit one of Iranian cinema’s notable works exploring the human consequences of war, displacement and cultural differences.

According to the Public Relations and International Affairs Department of the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (Kanoon), the film’s restored version was prepared with the institute’s support at Roshana Studio to present the work to audiences in improved visual quality.

Released in 1989, “Bashu, the Little Stranger” follows a young boy from southern Iran who loses his home and family during the Iran-Iraq war. Fleeing the bombing, he takes refuge in a village in northern Iran, where he finds himself in an unfamiliar environment with a different language and cultural traditions.

There, he encounters Naii, a rural woman who gradually forms an emotional bond with the displaced child despite the barriers separating them. Their relationship becomes the heart of the film, illustrating how compassion and human connection can bridge differences in language, background and experience.

The touching acclaimed drama, however, carries subtle undertones about human emotions like love, acceptance, loneliness, and unfamiliarity.

Through Bashu’s journey, Beyzaie examines the effects of war on children and civilians, while addressing broader themes of displacement, identity, mutual understanding and the acceptance of others. The film portrays a child’s struggle to find security and belonging in the aftermath of violence, placing human relationships at the center of its narrative.

Widely regarded as a landmark in Iranian cinema, “Bashu, the Little Stranger” is also an important work in the country’s cinema for children and young adults. Its focus on the experiences of a war-affected child gives the film a perspective that extends beyond the battlefield, highlighting the lasting personal and social consequences of conflict.

In 1999, “Bashu, the Little Stranger” was voted the best Iranian movie of all time by a poll of 150 movie experts.

Born in Tehran in 1938, Bahram Beyzaie was a celebrated Iranian playwright, filmmaker and scholar whose work blended Persian mythology, epic literature, particularly Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, and contemporary social issues.

Before turning to cinema in the 1970s, he had established himself as a leading playwright and historian. Often called the Shakespeare of Iran, he was admired for his mastery of Persian and his exploration of Iranian history and cultural identity through drama.

His notable works include “Ballad of Tara” (1979), “Death of Yazdgerd” (1982), and “Killing Mad Dogs” (2001).

After moving to the United States in 2010, Beyzaie continued his cultural and academic activities at Stanford University, teaching and researching Persian theater, cinema and mythology. His enduring creative commitment was also reflected in the manuscript “Dash Akol According to Marjan,” completed five years before his passing.

The Montreal screening forms part of efforts to introduce Iranian cinematic works to international audiences and bring restored versions of significant films to a new generation of viewers. The 4K presentation is expected to offer audiences an opportunity to experience Beyzaie’s work in enhanced image quality decades after its original production.

The screening also renews attention to a film whose themes of forced migration, cultural diversity and solidarity remain relevant to contemporary discussions about the human cost of war.

SAB/