Taxi (2015)

In the pulsating veins of Teheran, award-winning director Jafar Panahi, stripped of his filmmaking privileges, takes a novel and daring approach to storytelling. Under the guise of a humble taxi driver, he weaves his narrative through the vibrant tapestry of the city's streets, his cab becoming a mobile canvas for the city's kaleidoscopic stories. Fueled by the potency of cinema's magic and the price of a mere movie ticket, Panahi cordially invites the audience into his taxi. The passengers, as diverse as the city itself, unravel their tales in an unfiltered symphony of voices. An audacious little girl elucidates the principles of Iranian filmmaking while bargaining for a frappuccino. A female teacher and a young man delve into the abyss of death penalty debates. A bootlegger flaunts the new season of "The Walking Dead" and a collection of Woody Allen movies like precious contraband. Two elderly women cradle their goldfish in a fragile glass bowl as if clutching onto life itself, while a young woman carries her significantly older, accident-stricken husband, embodying the city's paradoxical blend of suffering and resilience. In this unique cinematic journey, Panahi, the filmmaker-turned-cabbie, navigates the labyrinth of Teheran, making a film in defiance of all odds. His taxi, a vessel of lives and stories, transforms into a mirror reflecting the multifaceted realities of contemporary Iran. As the city scrolls by outside the taxi windows, the audience is drawn into the heart of Teheran, experiencing its pulsating rhythm through the eyes and ears of its most candid passengers.

Taxi is a comedy movie featuring Jafar Panahi.

Taxi is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Kanopy.

It is also possible to buy Taxi on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Kino Now, Vudu and YouTube.