Synopsis
بایسیکل ران
The wife of Nasim, an Afghan immigrant in Iran, is gravely ill. He needs money to pay for her care, but his day labor digging wells does not pay enough. A friend connects Nasim to a two-bit promoter who sells tickets to watch Nasim ride a bicycle continuously for a week. The promoter brings in sick and aged spectators, haranguing them to find hope in Nasim's strength. Aided by his son, who feeds him as he rides, Nasim grinds out the days and shivering nights. Local officials believe this may be a plot and Nasim may be a spy; they try to sabotage him as do those who bet he won't finish the week. Will desperation alone get Nasim the money? Is any triumph an illusion?
The 1988–1990 Other Asia Window
10 Other Asia films released in this three-year window, ranked here by audience rating. The Cyclist sits at position #8.
The 1980s Other Asia Landscape
Catalog density by release year in the 1980s. Highlighted year (yellow) is when The Cyclist premiered. 23 total titles in this decade from Other Asia.
Reception Benchmarks
Ranked #312 of 547 Other Asia films indexed here (43rd percentile by TMDB audience score).
Among Other Asia Drama productions specifically: #233 of 356 (top 65%).
Production Details
| Primary Country | Other Asia |
|---|---|
| All Production Countries | Iran |
| Original Language | Persian |
| Production Companies | Bonyad Mostazafan |
| Runtime | 1h 22m |
| Release Date | February 1, 1989 |
| IMDb | tt0092651 |