2025 – Berlin – Rawy Films
The Tenants (1987) by Dariush Mehrjui tells the story of a decaying apartment building on the margins of Tehran—a space many have read as a symbol of Iranian society in the turbulent years after the 1979 revolution. Though Mehrjui repeatedly denied any allegorical intent, the film was widely interpreted as a reflection of political and social tensions: a structure falling apart, inhabited by people with conflicting interests, unclear authority, and no real ownership.
The building is managed by a butcher who claims legal authority, but the real owners are absent. As the tenants push for repairs and recognition, they face resistance from both the manager and powerful real estate agents. Attempts at collective reform break down into conflict, manipulation, and violence. Even the workers hired to restore the building are exploited and excluded from decision-making.
A moment of unity during a dinner scene briefly hints at reconciliation, but the underlying power struggles soon return. In the original version, the film ended with the building collapsing completely—emphasizing despair. Under pressure from cultural authorities, however, the ending was changed: a government official arrives, confirms the owners are dead, and allows the tenants to buy the building, offering blueprints and hope for reconstruction.
Through its narrative, The Tenants presents the building as more than a setting—it becomes the main character, embodying both the ruins of the past and the contested promise of the future. The film leaves viewers with a question that remains relevant: can the tenants truly rebuild, or will they always live in a structure caught between collapse and reform?