The film A Hero is the latest from Oscar winning Iranian filmmaker Oscar Farhaddi.

It follows Rahim, whose efforts to get out of debt, put him on a complicated path.

Publicity, honesty, trust, and the nature of debt itself all play a role in his twist-filled

story.

It's on the short list for this year's international feature film Oscar.

I'm Linda Holmes and today we're talking about the film A Hero on Pop Culture Happy

Hour from NPR.

Joining me today is frequent NPR contributor and culture writer Belal Kureshi, Hey Belal.

Hi, Linda.

And also with us once again is Vulture TV critic Roxana Hadadi.

Hey Roxana.

Hey, Linda.

So Oscar Farhaddi has made films including two Oscar winners in the category that's now

International feature film.

The 2011 film A Separation in the 2016 film The Salesman in this story in a hero, Amir

Jadidi plays Rahim.

He is stuck in a debtor's prison from which he's sometimes given leave to visit his family,

including his young son.

During leave he comes into possession, let us just say of a lost handbag and some coins,

which he hopes might allow him to repay his debt and get out of prison.

But nothing goes as expected.

It's safe to say and he becomes everything from a local celebrity to a suspected criminal

...