Persian Lessons (2023): Cast, Ratings & Plot
Persian Lessons is a 2023 war drama directed by Vadim Perelman, starring Nahuel Pérez Biscayart as Gilles, Alexander Beyer and Lars Eidinger. It runs 2 hours 7 minutes. Critics gave it 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 53 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.4/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 7m (127 min)
- Director
- Vadim Perelman
- Original language
-
German
- Studio
- Cohen Media Group
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Persian Lessons About?
The premise of Persian Lessons without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
During World War II in Nazi-occupied France, Gilles, to avoid execution, falsely claims to be Persian. He is sent to Camp Koch to teach Farsi to the camp's unusual leader, creating a fictional language day by day. While attempting to survive, Gilles grapples with the ethical implications of his deception. The precarious situation leads to rising suspicion and simmering tensions between prisoners and guards, pushing the limits of his fabricated identity and exposing the complexities of human behavior in extreme circumstances.
Persian Lessons Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- world war two
- labor camp
- jew
- concentration camp
- language lesson
- fake language
- pretending to be someone else
- captor captive relationship
- persian language
- german soldier
- german officer
- nazi officer
+38 more Show fewer
- belgian
- year 1942
- 1940s
- prisoner
- based on short story
- lie
- firing squad
- book
- language learning
- holocaust
- year 1945
- nazi germany
- farsi
- farsi language
- german
- soldier
- belgian man
- schutzstaffel
- violence
- shot to death
- shooting
- death
- gun
- kitchen
- winter
- snow
- list
- list of names
- writing a list
- threatened with a gun
- throat slit
- quarry
- work
- exhausted man
- concentration camp survivor
- woods
- suspicious man
- canned meat
Persian Lessons Cast & Characters
Nahuel Pérez Biscayart leads the cast as Gilles, with Alexander Beyer as Camp Commandant and Lars Eidinger as Klaus Koch. Directed by Vadim Perelman; 10 actors are credited in all.
- Director Vadim Perelman
-
Nahuel Pérez Biscayart as Gilles -
Alexander Beyer as Camp Commandant -
Lars Eidinger as Klaus Koch -
Jonas Nay as Max
Also Starring in Persian Lessons
· 6 more- Leonie Benesch Elsa
- Luisa-Céline Gaffron Jana
- David Schütter Paul
- Nico Ehrenteit SS-Obersturmführer Eugen Krupp
- Andreas Hofer Adjutant von Dewitz
- Giuseppe Schillaci Marco Rossi
More from Vadim Perelman
More films directed by Vadim Perelman, best-rated first: House of Sand and Fog, The Life Before Her Eyes and Buy Me.
Persian Lessons Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Persian Lessons 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 53 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.4/10. Our Echo Score gives it 65/100, strongest in character & emotion (72) and weakest in sensory experience (58).
Persian Lessons Echo Score Breakdown
Persian Lessons delivers a measured blend of artistic craft and narrative ambition, resulting in a moderately favorable reception. Critics acknowledge the director's visual control and strong lead performances, while noting a theatrical staging and a premise that strains credibility. User feedback mirrors this split, praising the acting and unique language premise yet pointing out underdeveloped side characters and a sometimes television‑like aesthetic. The net impression is one of a competent, intriguing drama that falls short of full resonance.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 68
In terms of art and craft, the film demonstrates careful direction and a controlled visual style, with shadows and composition noted by reviewers. Critics appreciate the focused visual grip, though some cite a stagy quality and limited use of widescreen. User comments reference a television‑like aesthetic, balancing the praise. Overall, the technical execution is solid but not consistently outstanding.
- Character & Emotion 72
Character and emotion receive strong commendation, especially for the central performances that many describe as nuanced and compelling. Both critics and users highlight the chemistry between the leads, while a few note caricatured antagonists and thinly drawn side roles. The majority of feedback points to a resonant core cast, resulting in a generally high character score.
- Story & Flow 60
The story’s originality—an invented language for survival—draws interest, yet reviewers find the premise implausible and the plot occasionally uneven. Critics mention a far‑fetched setup, and some users cite dragged pacing and underdeveloped subplots. Positive notes mention suspenseful moments, but the mixed reactions keep the story score in a moderate range.
- Sensory Experience 58
Sensory experience is characterized by a muted color palette and shadow‑heavy interiors that some reviewers find effective, while others feel the widescreen format is underutilized. Sound design is not heavily discussed, and the overall sensory impression is deemed adequate but not striking, leading to a modest evaluation.
- Rewatch Factor 62
Rewatch factor is tempered by the film’s niche subject and mixed narrative execution. Several users describe it as compelling enough for a second viewing, emphasizing its unique premise, while others view the genre fatigue and uneven pacing as deterrents. Consequently, the replay value is assessed as moderate.
-
IMDb 7.4 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 80% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 89%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 53 Metascore
User score 6.8
See on Metacritic
Persian Lessons Plot Summary
What happens in Persian Lessons from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In order to evade the same fate as countless other Jews being transported through France, Gilles, a Belgian Jew fluent in French and German, cleverly claims to be Persian, despite lacking any understanding of the Persian language and only possessing a Persian book. This deception lands him in a nearby concentration camp, where the ambitious deputy commandant, Klaus Koch (Lars Eidinger), eagerly desires to learn 2,000 Persian words in hope of visiting Tehran post-war to open a restaurant.
Full summary
The whole story of Persian Lessons, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know Persian Lessons?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What nationality does Gilles pretend to be?
Seen Persian Lessons?
Movies Like Persian Lessons
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including A French Lesson, Lesson of a Dead Language and Paradise.
Persian Lessons FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of Persian Lessons, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Persian Lessons?
Persian Lessons runs 2 hours 7 minutes (127 minutes).
When was Persian Lessons released?
Persian Lessons was released on June 9, 2023.
Who directed Persian Lessons?
Persian Lessons was directed by Vadim Perelman.
More films by Vadim Perelman Who is in the cast of Persian Lessons?
Persian Lessons stars Nahuel Pérez Biscayart as Gilles, Alexander Beyer as Camp Commandant and Lars Eidinger as Klaus Koch, among 10 credited actors.
How is Persian Lessons rated?
Persian Lessons has 7.4/10 on IMDb, 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 53 on Metacritic.
Does Persian Lessons have a post-credit scene?
No. Persian Lessons has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is Persian Lessons in?
The original language of Persian Lessons is German.
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