

Blackboards
2000, Persian. Directed by Samira Makhmalbaf.
Itinerant Kurdish teachers, carrying blackboards on their backs, look for students in the hills and villages of Iran, near the Iraqi border during the Iran-Iraq war. Said falls in with a group of old men looking for their bombed-out village; he offers to guide them, and takes as his wife Halaleh, the clan's lone woman, a widow with a young son. Reeboir attaches himself to a dozen pre-teen boys weighed down by contraband they carry across the border; they're mules, always on the move. Said and Reeboir try to teach as their potential students keep walking. Danger is close; armed soldiers patrol the skies, the roads, and the border. Is there a role for a teacher? Is there hope?
- Runtime
- 1h 25m
- Post-credits
- None listed
- Language
- Persian
- Rated
- Check local
Start now and it ends at ….
Popcorn Flick
Fun if you don’t overthink it.
6.7/10 from 43 TMDB viewer ratings.
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Where to watch Blackboards
Blackboards isn’t streaming on any OTT platform in India yet; it released on 1 September 2000.
No streaming listings yet. Search JustWatch.
Cast & crew
- Samira MakhmalbafDirector
- Said MohamadiSaid
- Behnaz JafariHalaleh
- Bahman GhobadiRebwar
- Mohamad Karim RahmatiFather
- Rafat MoradiRibwar
- Mayas RostamiYoung boy storyteller
- Saman AkbariGroup leader
- Ahmad BahramiMarriage registrar
- Karim MoradiOld man
- Hassan MohamadiChild
- Rasool MohamadiThe boy porter
- Somaye VeiseeLittle girl
Details
- Released
- 1 September 2000
- Original title
- تخته سياه
- Country
- Iran, Italy, Japan
- Written by
- Samira Makhmalbaf, Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Check ratings elsewhere
News & fan talk
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Blackboards: quick answers
Is Blackboards worth watching?
Our verdict is Popcorn Flick: Fun if you don’t overthink it. It scores 6.7/10 from 43 TMDB viewer ratings.
How long is Blackboards?
Blackboards runs 85 minutes (1h 25m).
Does Blackboards have a post-credits scene?
None is listed for Blackboards. Viewers tag these on TMDB, so a brand-new film may not be tagged yet.
Blackboards parents guide: is it suitable for kids?
No age rating is listed for Blackboards yet.
Which OTT platform is Blackboards on?
Blackboards isn’t streaming on any OTT platform in India yet; it released on 1 September 2000. (Checked 8 November 2026.)
What movies are like Blackboards?
If you liked Blackboards, try The Last Rifleman, Palestine 36, Lee.
Who directed Blackboards?
Blackboards (2000) was directed by Samira Makhmalbaf and stars Said Mohamadi, Behnaz Jafari, Bahman Ghobadi.