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A Persian-language film with English subtitles, Banoo-Ye Ordibehesht, which translates as The May Lady, tells the tale of a female filmmaker commissioned to make a TV movie about the ideal Iranian mother. Herself a divorcée facing a crisis in her home life, the protagonist interviews a vast array of different Iranian women, and records their stories of living within the restrictions of such a patriarchal society. As she learns more about her culture and the choices the women within it are sometimes forced to make, our protagonist also relates what she is learning from her interview subjects to what she's experiencing with her son, concerned about losing his mother's love to the new man in her life. As the documentary she is making nears completion, the filmmaker realizes she must choose between living her life for her son or for herself, and recognizes that neither choice is without consequences.

Foreign-language films are traditionally a hard sell, as are family dramas; combine the two, and you have a film that will struggle to find its position in the marketplace. Scheduled for a limited release in the US on November 9th, it's not likely Banoo will see much activity at the box office, unless the reviews and word-of-mouth are spectacular. Even under those circumstances, modest business is likely the best this film can hope to achieve. (Stephanie Star Smith/BOP)

Vital statistics for Banoo Main Cast Golah Adineh, Minoo Farshchi, Mani Kasraian, Atefeh Razavi Director Rakhshan Bani Etemad Screenwriter Rakhshan Bani Etemad Rating Unrated Running Time 88 minutes Talent in red has entry in The Big Picture

Comparison films for Banoo
Title	Date	Opening	Adjusted Opening	Screens	PSA	Adj PSA	Total BO	Adjusted Total	Mult
Chocolat	1/19/01	3.09	3.29	658	4701.00	4825.8	71.31	76.10	19.93
Life is Beautiful	2/19/99	2.35	2.80	685	3431.00	3917.3	57.22	68.18	14.85
Men Don't Leave	2/23/90	2.01	2.87	802	2506.00	3444.3	6.05	8.64	2.87