The Highest-Grossing Films in Iranian Cinema in 2015

The year 2015 saw a relative increase in the audience for Iranian cinema. The 57 films that were screened in the main cinema groups generated over 77 billion tomans in revenue, which, considering the average ticket price, translates to approximately 11 million and 600 thousand viewers for cinemas. This number of viewers and revenue exceeds the statistics of recent years, indicating that Iranian films received relatively more attention in 2015. This data, however, does not include the sales of films released in the Art and Experience group, where nearly 30 films were also screened in 2015, but their sales figures are not typically reported. The highest-grossing film of 2015 was "Muhammad: The Messenger of God," a costly production by Majid Majidi. The film, which took nearly five years to produce with the involvement of several internationally recognized filmmakers, was heavily promoted and supported by various governmental institutions, and was shown in numerous cinema halls. It tells the story of the birth and childhood of the Prophet Muhammad and grossed nearly 16 billion tomans in total sales across Iran after about six months of screening, making it the highest-grossing film of the year. Despite this significant revenue, critical reception was weak, and the estimated audience of around 2 million was significantly lower compared to some of the highest-grossing films post-Iranian Revolution, such as "The Eagles," "Kani Manga," and "The Red Cap and Cousin." The second highest-grossing film of the year was a comedic work titled "Whale Amber," directed by Saman Mohammadi and starring Reza Attaran, which grossed 7 billion and 550 million tomans. "Whale Amber" humorously narrates the life of a man from the years before the 1979 revolution and after, particularly highlighting the specific conditions of the 1980s. This film was released with changes from its initial version, and some cinemas affiliated with the Art House refrained from screening it in the early weeks of its release. The share of comedy films in the highest-grossing films of 2015 was notable. "Iran Burger," the third highest-grossing film, is also a comedy that depicts a local election in a fictional village. Masoud Jafari Jozani, who created several successful films in the 1980s, made a relatively successful return to Iranian cinema with this film after several years away, although critics did not favor it much. Another surprise in the annual sales chart was the success of the animated film "The Princess of Rome," directed by Hadi Mohammadian, which grossed about 4 billion tomans, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of the year. The success of this animation, which has acceptable technical quality and presentation, was significantly aided by extensive television advertising. Another surprising entry in the 2015 sales chart was the high sales of the film "In Due Time," which was screened during the typically low-grossing winter season and coincided with the Fajr Film Festival. Despite being the debut film of its creator, Vahid Amirkhani, and featuring the successful actor Javad Ezzati, it managed to gross around 3 billion and 700 million tomans, placing it fifth. The film's financial success was bolstered by its theme, which addresses temporary marriage and the sexual desires of the youth, as well as extensive satellite advertising. "Guinness," "Crazy Face," "The Era of Love," "Ice Age," and "Absolute Rest" completed the list of the top ten highest-grossing films of 2015, ranking sixth to tenth respectively.