Plot Summary
“Children of Heaven” is a poignant Iranian family drama that follows the lives of two siblings, nine-year-old Ali and his six-year-old sister Zahra, living in a poor neighborhood of South Tehran. The story begins when Ali goes to pick up Zahra’s pink shoes from the cobbler but accidentally loses them while running errands. Fearing their parents’ reaction due to their family’s financial struggles, the siblings decide to keep the loss a secret.
To cope with the situation, they devise a plan to share Ali’s only pair of sneakers: Zahra wears them to school in the morning and returns them to Ali at midday so he can attend his afternoon classes. This arrangement leads to various challenges, including Zahra being late on several occasions, which causes tension at school.
As the story unfolds, Zahra discovers her lost shoes on another girl’s feet and follows her home but ultimately decides against confronting her after realizing that the girl’s father is blind. Meanwhile, Ali’s father struggles to find work and faces mounting pressures from their landlord due to unpaid rent.
The climax of the film occurs when Ali learns about a children’s footrace with prizes that include sneakers and a week at a vacation camp. He sees this as an opportunity to win new shoes for Zahra. In an unexpected turn of events during the race, Ali accidentally finishes first instead of third, leading him back home where he must confront his disappointment about not being able to fulfill his original goal.
The film concludes with themes of resilience and kindness as both children navigate their hardships while maintaining hope for a better future. Their journey highlights not only their bond as siblings but also the broader social issues faced by families in similar circumstances.
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