THE RUNNER - Amir Naderi & Madjid Niroumand

In today’s episode, we bring you a conversation with Amir Naderi, writer and director of THE RUNNER, one of the most revered figures of the Iranian New Wave, and Madjid Niroumand, who was 11 when he played the film’s central role nearly 40 years ago. The two joined Film Forum’s repertory artistic director Bruce Goldstein for a discussion following our opening night screening of a new restoration of THE RUNNER on October 28. Released in Iran in 1984, THE RUNNER wasn’t seen in New York until 1991,  when it premiered at Film Forum – and then virtually disappeared. The film, based on Naderi’s own childhood, centers on a resourceful orphan making ends meet in Abadan, a southern city on the Persian Gulf.  Considered the first masterpiece of post-revolutionary Iran, THE RUNNER has been compared to the great works of Italian neo-realism, like SHOESHINE and THE BICYCLE THIEF, and Truffaut’s THE 400 BLOWS. The new restoration is now playing at Film Forum through Thursday, November 17. Special thanks to Amir Naderi, Madjid Niroumand, and Rialto Pictures for making this event possible. Photo by Dora Nano.