
Persian Lessons
Occupied France, 1942. Gilles (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart) is arrested by SS soldiers alongside other Jews and sent to a camp in Germany. En route to the camp, he narrowly avoids sudden execution by swearing to the guards that he is not Jewish, but Persian. This lie temporarily saves him, as one of the soldiers’ superior officers is “looking for a Persian,” and has promised additional rations to the soldier who delivers.
Gilles is then assigned a literal life-or-death mission: to teach Farsi to Head of Camp Koch (Lars Eidinger), who dreams of opening a restaurant in Iran once the war is over.
Through an ingenious trick, Gilles manages to survive by inventing words of “Farsi” every day and teaching them to Koch. The unusual relationship between the two men sparks jealousy in other prisoners and particularly the SS guards towards Gilles. Meanwhile Koch’s suspicions grow every day, and Gilles struggles with the unfairness of his privileges compared to his fellow prisoners, while fighting to maintain his secret and survive.
“Undeniably powerful.” -Variety
“A powerhouse premise and strong performances.” -48Hills
“[Persian Lessons] floored me in the devastating final moments.” -The Guardian
Name | Role |
Vadim Perelman | Director |
Nahuel Pérez Biscayart | Gilles |
Lars Eidinger | Klaus Koch |
Jonas Nay | Max |
David Schütter | Paul |
Alexander Beyer | Camp Commandant |
Andreas Hofer | Adjutant von Dewitz |
Theatrical Playdates
Venue | City | State | Opens | Tickets |
---|---|---|---|---|
Avon Cinema | Providence | RI | July 28, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Bethesda Row Cinema | Bethesda | MD | June 16, 2023 | Tickets |
Chez Artiste | Denver | CO | June 16, 2023 | Tickets |
Cinema Arts Centre | Huntington | NY | June 16, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Coral Gables Art Cinema | Coral Gables | FL | June 23, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Criterion Cinemas 9 | New Haven | CT | June 23, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Gateway Film Center 8 | Columbus | OH | June 16, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Hillcrest Cinemas | San Diego | CA | June 16, 2023 | Tickets |
Jacob Burns Film Center | Pleasantville | NY | June 09, 2023 | Tickets |
JCC Manhattan | New York | NY | June 13, 2023 | Tickets |
Laemmle Newhall | Santa Clarita | CA | June 15, 2023 | Tickets |
Laemmle Royal | Los Angeles | CA | June 09, 2023 | Tickets |
Lagoon Cinema | Minneapolis | MN | June 23, 2023 | Tickets |
Landmark Pasadena Playhouse | Pasadena | CA | June 16, 2023 | Tickets |
Landmark's Century Centre Cinema | Chicago | IL | June 16, 2023 | Tickets |
Landmark's Kendall Square Cinema | Cambridge | MA | June 16, 2023 | Tickets |
Landmark's Keystone Art Cinema 7 | Indianapolis | IN | June 16, 2023 | Tickets |
Landmark's Ritz 5 | Philadelphia | PA | June 16, 2023 | Tickets |
Landmark's Spectrum 8 | Albany | NY | June 16, 2023 | Tickets |
Little Theatre | Rochester | NY | June 23, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Living Room 6 | Portland | OR | June 30, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Malco Ridgeway Cinema | Memphis | TN | June 16, 2023 | Tickets |
Manor 4 | Pittsburgh | PA | June 09, 2023 | Tickets |
Maple Theatre | Bloomfield Hills | MI | June 16, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Mariemont 4 | Cincinnati | OH | June 16, 2023 | Tickets |
Mary D. Fisher Theatre | Sedona | AZ | June 23, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Midtown Art Cinemas 8 | Atlanta | GA | June 16, 2023 | Tickets |
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth | Fort Worth | TX | June 23, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Movieland at Boulevard Square | Richmond | VA | June 23, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Movies of Delray 5 | Delray Beach | FL | June 23, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Movies of Lake Worth | Lake Worth | FL | June 23, 2023 | Coming Soon |
New Plaza Cinema at West End Theatre | New York | NY | June 16, 2023 | Coming Soon |
North Park Theatre | Buffalo | NY | July 07, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Opera Plaza Cinemas 4 | San Francisco | CA | June 16, 2023 | Tickets |
Paradigm Cinemas: Gateway Fort Lauderdale | Fort Lauderdale | FL | June 23, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Plaza Frontenac Cinema | Frontenac | MO | June 16, 2023 | Tickets |
Prytania Theatres at Canal Place | New Orleans | LA | June 23, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Quad Cinemas 4 | New York | NY | June 09, 2023 | Tickets |
Riviera | Santa Barbara | CA | June 16, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Shea 14 Theatre | Scottsdale | AZ | June 16, 2023 | Coming Soon |
SIFF Cinema Uptown | Seattle | WA | June 16, 2023 | Coming Soon |
Smith Rafael Film Center | San Rafael | CA | June 16, 2023 | Coming Soon |
The Landmark at Merrick Park | Coral Gables | FL | June 23, 2023 | Tickets |
Town Center 5 | Encino | CA | June 16, 2023 | Tickets |
Zeitgeist Theatre and Lounge | Arabi | LA | June 23, 2023 | Coming Soon |