Marathon

The third American feature of Iranian exile Amir Naderi is an ultra-low budget indie; cast and crew were essentially volunteers recruited via the internet. (Cameraman Simmonds is a real discovery.) The minimal story is told in concrete and very physical terms, but picks up a strong metaphorical dimension as it goes along. A young Manhattanite (Paul) sets out to break a record set by her mother - for the number of crosswords she can complete within a 24-hour period. She starts the day roaming the Five Boroughs by subway, slaving over crosswords torn from newspapers and magazines on trains and platforms. Later she retreats to her apartment and resorts to extraordinary measures to force herself to keep going. The closing sequence, containing a hidden map of Iran, confirms that all of this has something to do with the compulsion that keeps Naderi himself making films against all odds.