Persian Lessons Movie Cast, Plot and Everything to Know

Plot

Occupied France, 1942. Gilles (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart) is arrested by SS soldiers alongside other Jews and sent to a camp in Germany. En route to the camp, he narrowly avoids sudden execution by swearing to the guards that he is not Jewish, but Persian. This lie temporarily saves him, as one of the soldiers’ superior officers is “looking for a Persian,” and has promised additional rations to the soldier who delivers. Gilles is then assigned a literal life-or-death mission: to teach Farsi to Head of Camp Koch (Lars Eidinger), who dreams of opening a restaurant in Iran once the war is over. Through an ingenious trick, Gilles manages to survive by inventing words of “Farsi” every day and teaching them to Koch. The unusual relationship between the two men sparks jealousy in other prisoners and particularly the SS guards towards Gilles. Meanwhile Koch’s suspicions grow every day, and Gilles struggles with the unfairness of his privileges compared to his fellow prisoners, while fighting to maintain his secret and survive.

Drama Adaptation

• N
  Nahuel Perez Biscayart

  Kill the Jockey

• L
  Lars Eidinger

  All The Light We Cannot See (series), High Life

• J
  Jonas Nay

• L
  Leonie Benesch

  September 5, The Teachers' Lounge

Who is making Persian Lessons – Crew List

A look at Persian Lessons behind-the-scenes crew and production team. The film's director Vadim Perelman last helmed The Life Before Her Eyes and The Life Before Her Eyes.

Director

Vadim Perelman

Screenwriter

Ilya Zofin

Production – What we know about the Persian Lessons

Copy link to Production – What we know about the Persian Lessons

Key Facts

• PERSIAN LESSONS will open in three theatres in NY and LA on June 9th (6/3/2023).
• Based on “Erfindung Einer Sprache” by Wolfgang Kohlhaase.

Movie Filming Timeline: Production Status Updates

Apr 2023

Completed

Changed Persian Lessons movie production status. The movie is ready for release.

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Additional Information

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