Desert Dancer

Dancing is an expression of freedom. It is the quintessential affirmation of life.  Anyone who would prevent this beautiful art is vermin…the lowest form of humanity.  My opinion.

Director Richard Raymond’s Desert Dancer is based on the true-life story of Afshin Ghaffarian (Reece Ritchie), an Iranian student with a passion to dance, while living under an authoritarian regime that forbid it.  

Afshin formed a small, underground group of dancers that, ultimately, felt the need to show their work to an audience.  This necessitated going a hundred kilometers out of Teheran into the desert for their performance…all this while being sought by regime thugs.

An excellent cast, including Frieda Pinto, Tom Cullen and Marama Corlett keeps Writer Jon Crocker’s script lively.  

Though Editors Chris Gill and Celia Haining could have tightened some scenes, the principal segments are powerful.

Anyone who dances should see this film and be thankful they live in a society that supports this and all the arts.

I give Desert Dancer a 4 out of 5.