Children of Heaven (bc30) (2026) review, cast and showtimes

Name: Children of Heaven (bc30)
Released: 2026-09-17
Duration: 88 min
Cast: Mohammad Amir Naji, Jared Ali, Bahare Seddiqi, Humaira Jahra, Amir Farrokh Hashemian

What it is about

When Ali loses his sister Zahra’s school shoes, this young pair dream up a plan to stay out of trouble: they’ll share his shoes and keep it a secret! But if they’re going to cover their tracks, the kids must carefully watch their step. When Ali discovers a student marathon offering a new pair of shoes as the third-place prize, he seizes the opportunity. In this heartwarming tale of childhood resilience, Ali and Zahra remind us that hope and love blossom even in the face of overwhelming hardship.

What to expect

Ali loses his sister Zahra’s only school shoes, and the two decide to share his sneakers in secret rather than tell their struggling parents. The arrangement means frantic dashes between classrooms, and the strain shows in every close-up of their faces. The movie stays with that small, practical problem for most of its 88 minutes, only shifting gear when Ali enters a children’s marathon whose third prize is a new pair. Directors Majid Majidi and Hanung Bramantyo keep the camera at child height and the tone matter-of-fact; the village setting and the Indonesian-language dialogue ground the story in a specific place, even though it is a remake of a 1997 Iranian movie. The young cast carry the weight without cute mugging, and the sibling bond feels lived-in rather than scripted. Rated I in Hong Kong, it is open to all ages and runs a tight 88 minutes. It opens here on 17 September 2026, playing a limited art-house release with English and Chinese subtitles.

Cast