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The first screening of The Cow took place at the Ministry of Culture and Art in March 1969, in the presence of invited guests, including writers, poets, filmmakers, and critics. A questionnaire was distributed among the audience to collect their opinions about the film.
Dariush Mehrjui wrote the following in a letter to the Minister of Culture and Art, dated March 20, 1969, summarizing the reactions from notable figures:
- Jalal Al-e-Ahmad: “It is an important film and should not be watched just once. The gloomy and dark atmosphere of the book is not present in the film.”
- Manouchehr Anvar: “The film is visually stunning and highly praiseworthy. However, in terms of the story, its heart is false, the dialogue is nonsense, and the events do not feel real.”
- Manouchehr Anvar, concluding his review, stated:
“Until now, we believed that Iranian cinema was in motion and progressing, but this was an illusion. With this film, the movement of Iranian cinema has truly become visible, and there is no doubt about it. I sincerely congratulate the filmmakers on this achievement.”
- Reza Baraheni: “An extraordinary film.”
- Simin Daneshvar: “Unlike the theatrical version, the film does not focus as much on Mash Hassan, making it less successful compared to the play.”
- Bahman Forsi: “This is not a film that can be judged immediately. It needs to be watched again and reflected upon.”
- Manouchehr Tayyab: “The characters are not equally developed. Mash Hassan, Islam the madman, and Mash Safar’s son are closer to the audience, but the rest remain vague and unrecognized.”
- Khosrow Sinai: “The film The Cow was observed. In my opinion, it is a completely successful film and highly suitable for submission to the Berlin Film Festival.” (April 1, 1969)
According to Mr. Talaei (a staff member at the Ministry of Culture and Art):
“The film will be very interesting for the lower classes because it is a good film. Two points came to my mind that showed my attention and interest while watching the film. One, why is there no sound of frogs in the pond scene at night? And two, in the stable, which is usually full of cockroaches and insects, their sounds should have been heard.”
Censorship and Screening Issues
The film’s distribution was assigned to Misaqieh Studio, but its release was delayed due to censorship issues. Misaqieh, to avoid censorship, requested permission from the Minister of Culture and Art to screen the film at the Shiraz Arts Festival.
Reza Ghotbi, the then-director of National Iranian Radio and Television, watched the film and authorized its screening at the festival. Consequently, the film was successfully shown at the Third Shiraz Arts Festival in September 1969.
The first review of the film was published by Parviz Nazarian in Music Magazine (Issues 123-124, Third Series, August and November 1969), in which he praised the film, stating:
“On the whole, The Cow should be considered a good Iranian film that stands apart from typical commercial Persian films.”
Despite this success, the film remained under restriction until Gholamhossein Jabari, Deputy of Cinema Affairs at the Ministry of Culture and Art, invited Fereydoun Hoveyda (brother of Prime Minister Amir-Abbas Hoveyda and a film critic) to watch the film and give his opinion.
Hoveyda, who was a film critic and one of the founders of Cahiers du Cinéma in France, found no political issues in the film and deemed its screening permissible. As a result, The Cow was finally released for public screening at Capri Cinema (now Bahman Cinema, in Enghelab Square) in March 1970, running successfully for several weeks.
However, there were still concerns about its international presentation. Initially, plans were made for the film to be shown in India, but Mohammad Reza Amirtimur, Iran’s ambassador in New Delhi, opposed its screening. In a letter to the Ministry of Information and Press Affairs, dated November 25, 1970, he wrote:
“The mentioned film depicts the conditions of an Iranian village from forty years ago, highlighting the people’s backwardness and their superstitious beliefs. A foreign viewer, such as an Indian, unfamiliar with the Persian language, might mistakenly assume that Iran’s villages are still in such conditions today. In the opinion of this embassy, The Cow, although it may be informative and interesting for Iranian viewers familiar with the nuances of the Persian language, is not beneficial for international screenings.” (November 25, 1970)
Years later, the Iranian embassy in India still opposed the screening of the film at the Indian Film Society.
As a result, The Cow continued to face screening issues. Eventually, a French documentary filmmaker named René Walter smuggled a 35mm copy of the film to Paris and gave it to Shirley Wiseman, his agent. Wiseman then sent the film to Pierre-Henri Deleau, the head of the Directors’ Fortnight section at the Cannes Film Festival.
Deleau, despite the film lacking English subtitles, was impressed and selected it for screening in his section at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1971. However, at the time, the film did not receive significant attention.
At the Venice Film Festival (1971)
After its screening at Cannes, Shirley Wiseman sent the film to the Venice Film Festival. The festival committee selected the film, and, because it lacked English subtitles, Mehrjui was invited to attend and provide a simultaneous translation of the dialogue into English during the screening.
The 32nd Venice Film Festival took place from August 25 to September 6, 1971. Forty films from twenty countries were selected for the competition section. However, due to political stances and boycotts from Pier Paolo Pasolini and leftist parties, the Venice Festival had decided to suspend awards from 1969 to 1979. The festival was also canceled in 1973, 1977, and 1978 due to financial difficulties, but, from 1979 onward, the practice of awarding prizes was reinstated.
Some of the notable films in the competition section of the festival included:
- Dodeskaden (Akira Kurosawa – Japan)
- The Adversary (Satyajit Ray – India)
- The Professional Killers (Marcel Carné – France)
- The Great Struggle (Alexander Kluge – West Germany)
- Beware of the Holy Whore (Rainer Werner Fassbinder – West Germany)
- The Devils (Ken Russell – United Kingdom)
- Sunday Bloody Sunday (John Schlesinger – United Kingdom)
- The Nightcomers (Michael Winner – United Kingdom)
- During the Summer (Ermanno Olmi – Italy)
- The Guest (Liliana Cavani – Italy)
- The Touch (Ingmar Bergman – Sweden)
- The Last Movie (Dennis Hopper – USA)
- Directed by John Ford (Peter Bogdanovich – USA)
- The Cow (Dariush Mehrjui – Iran)
On Thursday, August 26, 1971, The Cow was screened at the festival. Mehrjui himself provided a simultaneous translation of the film’s dialogue from the small projection booth. The film astonished critics and audiences, who had little prior knowledge of Iranian cinema. Despite the festival not awarding prizes at the time to appease protesters, The Cow managed to win the only available award, the FIPRESCI Prize (awarded by the International Federation of Film Critics).
As a result, The Cow captured the attention of critics from Italy, France, the UK, and other countries participating in the Venice Festival. It was later selected for screening at film festivals in London, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Berlin.
Critics’ Reactions in Venice
Il Gazzettino (Italy) – Gian Carlo Vigorelli
Article Title: The Cow: A Beautiful Social Film, A Rediscovery of Iran
“The Cow is a film with a brilliant style, a tragic depiction of reality that the filmmaker has deeply felt with his heart and soul. Early during the festival, we quickly realized that the Iranian film The Cow, directed by Dariush Mehrjui, was the most outstanding work presented. This film is undoubtedly a valuable and reliable rediscovery of Iran. Mehrjui has broken all conventional rules in this film. His film is surrealistic, but through the magical hands of the director, it shines and takes on a unique life of its own. Fortunately, this Iranian film is not merely a psychological case study; rather, it is an insightful social analysis executed with an austere, objective, and brilliant cinematic style. Young Mehrjui has focused his gaze deeply on the subject, without falling into the trap of a superficial intellectual approach. He has created a remarkable film that unquestionably promises greater success in the future. If Pier Paolo Pasolini had seen The Cow, he would never have made Pigsty—or at the very least, his film would have lost its poetic innocence. Something that this young Iranian filmmaker still possesses in his eyes, in himself, and in his sweet madness. If Pasolini had directed The Cow, he would undoubtedly have made a bad film. Let me say this: Mehrjui is a new Buñuel of cinema. *”
The Times (UK)
“The Iranian film The Cow was excellent at the Venice Film Festival, and critics praised it. We hope to see more films from Iran in international festivals.”
Nouvelle Littérature (France) – Raoul Leman
“There is no doubt that the most significant event in terms of screenings at the Venice Festival was an Iranian film called The Cow, directed by Dariush Mehrjui. This film is visually stunning and beautifully composed, shot in black and white. It extensively employs close-ups, and the camera, in a manner reminiscent of the golden age of Soviet cinema, lingers with intelligence on the faces of villagers, both men and women.”
At the end of his article, the critic writes:
“Dariush Mehrjui is a filmmaker who can express himself through images.” (Jamshid Eramian, Setareh Cinema, Issue 72, October 1971)
The Observer (UK) – Tom Milne
“I found the Iranian film The Cow to be highly sophisticated, intelligent, and filled with beauty. This film reveals a profound and human love that is movingly expressed by the young Iranian filmmaker, Dariush Mehrjui. The scene in which Mash Hassan washes his cow like a beloved child by the river, and when he sees the Baluris, reacting as if they are about to steal the greatest treasure of his life, is, in my opinion, one of the most poetic moments I have ever seen in the cinema. The intellectual depth of Mehrjui in this film is truly remarkable.”
Avvenire (Italy) – Giovanni Raboni
Article Title: The Cow: A Rediscovery of Iran
“…The Cow is a well-crafted and conscious film that introduces an intelligent filmmaker to the world. Even without subtitles or additional explanations, the film’s remarkable quality was undeniable. The excellent cinematography, careful lighting, and precise mise-en-scène all conveyed the film’s emotional and, at times, deeply philosophical themes. The Cow is a story of poverty, deprivation, and the mystical transformation of a human being. With its philosophical perspective rooted in Eastern traditions, Mehrjui’s film reflects the contemporary lives of many people around the world. Without a doubt, Mehrjui is a fresh new voice in cinema, and we will hear much more about him in the future.”
Il Giornale (Italy) – Pietro Bianchi
Article Title: A Humanistic Cinema
“The Iranian film The Cow was one of the most moving films at this year’s festival. Some have said that the film is influenced by Italian neorealism, but I do not believe this to be accurate. This is a deeply surreal and poetic film. The director’s command of storytelling demonstrates his intelligence and wisdom. Based on the rich cultural foundation of his country, Mehrjui has created a poetic and deeply human film. His love for humanity shines through in the most magnificent way possible. Mehrjui possesses a profoundly humanistic cinema, and for this, he deserves great admiration.”
Conclusion
With The Cow, Dariush Mehrjui became the first Iranian filmmaker to introduce Iranian cinema beyond national borders, bringing it to European capitals and American cities. His success in receiving major awards and screening at prestigious festivals such as Venice, London, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Berlin in 1971 drew the attention of critics, historians, and cinephiles to Iran’s emerging New Wave cinema.
At the London Film Festival (1971)
At the 15th London Film Festival, 45 feature films and 58 short films from 29 countries were showcased. Seventeen filmmakers attended the festival, of whom four were British, the rest being foreign directors, including Mehrjui.
Following its screening at the London Festival, and beyond the praises of the press, The Cow was shown for three months at a cinema on Oxford Street in London, at a theater dedicated to screening artistic films.
- The Evening News newspaper in London wrote:
“This film is unparalleled in its subtlety and taste.”
- The Guardian wrote:
“Without a doubt, we will hear more about its director, Mehrjui.”
- The Sunday Times wrote:
“This is a film that must not be missed.”
Other Achievements
In Iran, after the film had won the Venice Prize, the Ministry of Culture and Art approved the screening and distribution of the film by adding an introductory caption at the beginning, which read:
“The story depicted in this film takes place forty years ago.”
At the Berlin Film Festival, The Cow won the Interfirm Award, as well as several church affiliated awards. At the Chicago Film Festival, Ezzatollah Entezami won the Best Actor award for his performance in The Cow.
Typically, great filmmakers produce their best or most remarkable films early in their careers, often within their first or second works. This is why some film festivals specifically focus on debut or second films by directors. With The Cow, his second film, Mehrjui solidified his place among top filmmakers.
Over the past five decades, The Cow has become a classic, regularly screened and praised at festivals, cinematheques, cultural centers, and universities worldwide. The film is also listed in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, which was compiled by a group of the world’s leading film historians and critics.
As the pioneering film of the Iranian New Wave, The Cow paved the way for other filmmakers like Bahram Beyzaie, Parviz Kimiavi, Sohrab Shahid-Saless, Amir Naderi, Nasser Taghvai, and Abbas Kiarostami. Throughout the 1970s, these directors created distinct and valuable films with humanistic and social themes that earned international acclaim and numerous festival awards.
Philosophical and Symbolic Aspects of The Cow
Gholamhossein Saedi’s stories are often highly visual, filled with symbolism and metaphor, and deeply ideological. This provided an excellent foundation for Mehrjui, who had both philosophical knowledge and a poetic cinematic language, allowing him to blend realism and symbolism in The Cow. He even managed to fuse realism and surrealism in such a way that, half a century later, the film remains fresh and timeless.
The Cow is a fusion of Saedi’s political and humanitarian themes with Mehrjui’s sharp intellectual insight and poetic humor. The film’s straightforward yet deeply reflective storytelling, its masterful depiction of a quiet and impoverished village, and its avoidance of overt ideological slogans—while still highlighting the inherent darkness of the story—make The Cow unique.
The story follows Mash Hassan (Ezzatollah Entezami), the owner of the only cow in a poor village. He has an intense love for his cow, which is also his primary means of livelihood. The neighboring villagers, known as the “Balouris,” covet his cow. One day, while Mash Hassan is away, the cow is found dead in the stable. When he returns, he refuses to acknowledge its death, and gradually, he begins to transform into the cow himself.
The film presents several profound themes:
- The existential struggle between life and death
- The blurred boundary between humanity and animality
- The economic value of the cow in a poverty-stricken village
- The psychological effects of loss on an individual
- A man’s descent into alienation and madness
The film features outstanding performances, particularly from Ezzatollah Entezami, who delivers one of the best performances of his career. Under Mehrjui’s skilled direction, the cast brings the story to life with great depth and nuance.
The film also has a distinct Iranian visual aesthetic. The black-and-white cinematography, naturalistic lighting, and careful composition all contribute to its timeless quality.
At its core, The Cow is a philosophical film that explores the theme of self-annihilation through love—an enduring motif in Persian literature. The bond between Mash Hassan and his cow is unique in cinema, but similar themes have been explored in other films. Examples include:
- The relationship between a boy and his horse in White Mane (Albert Lamorisse, 1952)
- The attachment between a boy and his red balloon in The Red Balloon (Albert Lamorisse, 1956)
- The bond between a boy and a wild bull in The Brave One (Irving Rapper, 1956)—a film that was written by Dalton Trumbo under a pseudonym and that won the Academy Award for Best Story
- Bicycle Thieves (Vittorio De Sica, 1948), a film that had a significant influence on Mehrjui when he first saw it as a child
While The Cow appears simple on the surface, it is layered with deep intellectual and emotional themes. Its well-structured narrative and poetic execution captivate audiences and make it one of the most significant films in Iranian cinema.
Dariush Mehrjui reflects on the film’s reception:
“When The Cow was shown at international festivals, right-wing groups accused us of disgracing Iran by portraying a poor and backward society at a time when the Pahlavi regime was supposedly on the brink of global modernization. On the other hand, leftist groups attacked us for not making a film in the Marxist tradition, arguing that we should have explicitly condemned the bourgeoisie and supported the working class.” (Interview with the author)
