If you thought your commute or morning routine was stressful, you need to see Davoud Soulan in Midday Meal. Directed by Majid Majidi—the legend who gave us Children of Heaven—this new film is hitting hard with a story that is honestly way too real. Set in the harsh, arid village of Goorankesh, the plot follows Soulan, a schoolteacher whose entire mission is to keep his school running.
The stakes are high
The situation? The school’s private funding has dried up, and without those daily lunches to lure the kids in, the school is set to shut down in about two weeks. It’s giving “the system is failing us” vibes, because the government basically dipped and left the village to figure it out on its own. To keep the lights (and the kitchen) on, Soulan is doing the absolute most—living in the school building and even moonlighting as a fuel smuggler.
Is he a hero or just desperate?
Real talk: Soulan isn’t your typical cinematic saint. He’s a deeply conflicted guy whose moral compass starts spinning as he tries to keep things afloat. He’s making some majorly questionable choices, and lead actor Mohammad Rahimi plays the role with so much nuance that you’ll be questioning his motives until the very end. Sometimes he’s a hero, and sometimes he’s lowkey ruthless.
Why it matters
Majidi doesn’t just show us a sad story; he’s calling out the institutions that leave people behind. It’s a gut-punch of a reminder that when support structures collapse, the people left to pick up the pieces are forced to compromise their values just to survive. No cap, this is a heavy one, but it’s an essential watch for anyone who likes their cinema with a side of existential crisis.
