we focus on the language of talking about films. As it's World Cup time, we're

going to be looking at reviews of a new film based on a World Cup

qualification match.

The film is called Offside and is by Iranian director Jafar Panahi.

The film is about a group of women football fans in Iran who want to go and

watch a World Cup qualification match between their country, Iran and

Bahrain. However, because in Iran women are not allowed to attend male

sporting events they have to try different ways of getting into the stadium.

They try different disguises but are stopped from seeing the match by soldiers

who keep them in a room where they can hear, but not see the match.

The film is not in the English language it doesn't have any big international

stars and there aren't explosions and special effects. It is not typical of the

summer blockbusters from Hollywood and maybe because of this it has proved

to be quite popular with the critics and the public.

Mark Kermode is one of the BBC's film reviewers, he isn't a football fan but he

did like the film, this is what he said about it.

Mark Kermode

It's really terrific. Number of lovely things about it. The first thing is, is that it's really

genuinely gentle but in a melancholic and insightful way. 

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Callum: He says it's terrific, he thinks it's really good and there are some lovely things

about it. He comments that the film is gentle – which means that it's an easy

film to watch, there aren't strong and angry conflicts. He also says it has a

melancholic feel, it's slightly sad and is also insightful – it shows a good

understanding of the situation.

He also says that even though he isn't a football fan he still enjoyed the film. In

fact he says that he doesn't 'get' football – he doesn't get it – this means that he

doesn't understand it, he doesn't know why it is so popular or makes people feel

the way they do. Does watching this film help him to understand this at all?

Here's Mark Kermode again.

Mark Kermode

The reason I like it is as somebody who genuinely hasn't had any interest in football, doesn't

get football, I've never got it, I've never got the kind of national enthusiasm for it, I've never

got why it is that people get so excited. Watching Offside I actually felt that I understood at

least a little bit more what that was about because what he does brilliantly as a director is to

show you that sense of wanting to be part of this kind of collective event which is a force for

good.

Callum: So yes. He said that watching the film helped him to understand what it is like

to be a football fan, what it is like to want to want to be involved in a group

event which he describes as a force for good.

Those were the views of the critic, the reviewer, but what about others who

have seen the film for their own entertainment. What do they think? Here are a

few opinions – how do people describe the film and their reaction to it.

VOICES

I thought it was one of the best films I'd seen in ages. I really really enjoyed it 

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Oh I really enjoyed it, I thought it was funny, endearing and yet it made a really serious point.

I thought the film was excellent. I like Iranian films and this particular film was interesting

because it was quite a heavy subject but there were funny bits. So even though you might

think 'oh this is a very difficult subject to talk about in a film', it approached it in a very light

hearted and a gentle way.

Callum: Some very positive views there. The first speaker commented that it was the

best film he'd seen in ages – the best film in a long time. It was also described

as funny and endearing – endearing means charming and very likeable. This

view was echoed by the third speaker who commented that even though it was

a heavy subject – a serious and difficult topic – it was done in a light-hearted

and gentle way. Light-hearted is a useful adjective to describe films which are

funny.

That's all from this edition of entertainment. Before we go, some final

recommendations for the film offside.

VOICES

I'd recommend this film to absolutely anybody.

Yes I would recommend this film. You certainly don't have to be a football fan to enjoy it and

if you like watching films from different countries around the world this is a really good one

to start with. I would recommend this film to everybody especially this time when the football

fans are going around the world, having a great time.