Premiering internationally at the Bishkek International Film Festival, Rainbow’s Tale, Saleh Alavizadeh’s feature debut, offers a series of vignettes centred on the lives of children and young adults in Iran. Each episode bears the name of a colour of the rainbow and weaves in subtle, and at times nearly imperceptible, connections to that colour, whether through imagery, emotion or symbolism. The film is dedicated to Kian Pirfalak, a nine-year-old Iranian boy who was tragically killed by government forces while sitting in his parents' car during the "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests in Iran. In a moving and widely circulated home video, the young boy used the words "In the name of the God of the Rainbow", and according to the director, that phrase inspired the film’s title.

The tone of the stories ranges from profoundly dramatic to darkly humorous. In “Orange”, for instance, three children hatch a plan to travel to the USA and assassinate Donald Trump, carrying a real gun in the process. Balancing an absurd, almost comical premise with a chilling undertone, the episode is a triumph. The audience can clearly perceive the central thread that ties the film together: the profound disconnect between the younger generation and the adult world. This theme reaches its emotional peak in “Yellow”, where a dying grandmother (Maryam Boubani) is confronted by her granddaughter (Farima Keyhanitabar), who blames her for the suffering endured by their family.

Another major theme explored in the feature is child marriage, which takes centre stage in the episode “Red”. This segment offers a powerful and unsettling portrayal of the issue, examining the emotional and societal consequences faced by young girls forced into premature adulthood. The director himself makes a personal appearance in “Violet”, playing a teacher at an art school, confronted by a student (Aysan Hadad) who confesses her feelings for him, in an episode filled with vulnerability and tension.

The film, co-written by Alavizadeh and Javad Khorsha, stands as a compelling example of how an episodic structure, when handled with care, can offer a more dynamic and engaging experience than a conventional, linear narrative. While it can be difficult to maintain audience engagement throughout a feature with uneven pacing, it's equally challenging to make every segment of an anthology resonate. Rainbow’s Tale succeeds largely thanks to its thematic cohesion and the symbolic structure offered by the colours. Still, viewer reactions may vary depending on individual preferences, and some episodes may naturally feel more compelling than others.

Despite this, all seven segments share a consistent level of quality, both technically and in terms of screenwriting. The experiment is, on the whole, a successful one. It’s worth noting, however, that the movie’s technical execution is arguably its weakest aspect. The cinematography could have been more refined, and the camera work more thoughtfully composed. That said, these shortcomings do not significantly detract from the overall impact. The strength of the film lies primarily in its storytelling, and although stronger visuals would have elevated the work further, the final result remains powerful and affecting.

Rainbow’s Tale was produced by Europe Media Nest (Czech Republic) and PakFilm (Germany). The film is currently seeking international distribution.