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Iran

Will Smith and Eddie Murphy come back strong, Meryl Streep follows the money and one final VIFF pick

And there’s more: a scathing portrait of Trump’s role model and Xavier Dolan’s latest look at “friendship”

Super hero fun, a not so good Stephen King adaptation and a daffy Ronaldo clone

And more: a guitar maker keeps the old ways, a banned Iranian filmmaker carries on, pre-World War I tremors in Europe, the underclass in Brazil and thoughts on fidelity in Toronto

More VIFF recommendations: a Haida tale, sailing with refugees and a cheeky Bible story

Also an edifying rural tale by a master Iranian filmmaker

Incredible superhero home life, remembering Mr. Rogers and a teenager’s rule-choked Iran

Also a best-selling mystery from Italy and the return of blaxploitation with Superfly

Kong is big but unremarkable, Window Horses is diverse and whimsical and The Last Word welcomes back Shirley MacLaine

And notice especially the passionate defense of journalistic courage in All Governments Lie

The Salesman, high drama from Iran, The Comedian, a De Niro dud, and The Space Between Us, sci-fi romance for teens

Also the bittersweet lament and history lesson Quebec My Country and the clumsy chiller Rings

A young Iranian helps Syrian refugees adjust to Canada

A young Iranian, himself, new to Canada reaches out to help Syrian refugees settle here. But with the war in Syria, tensions between Iranians and Syrians are rising. How will he succeed?

After the Paris attacks, connecting with each other and ourselves

Speaking with those in Paris during the attacks and a friend from the Middle East — give human context to a terrible event.

Stellar VIFF picks: Hurt, Hadwin’s Judgement, Jafar Panahi’s Taxi

Steve Fonyo’s Hurt, Hadwin’s Judgement, Jafar Panahi’s Taxi drive and two more films

Reviews of Ant-Man, Mr. Holmes and Trainwreck plus four international films

Also Suite Francaise from France, About Elly from Iran, Jimmy’s Hall from Ireland and Strangerland from Australia with Nicole Kidman