agmtw logo
search

Sun Children (2021)

Sun Children (2021)

7.1

A group of children hunt for treasure in this tragic, neo-realist drama

Movie

Iran, United States of America
Persian
Drama
2021
imdb
rt
wiki

TLDR

Kids around the world deserve better.

What it's about

12-year-old Ali and his friends do small jobs and commit petty crimes for money to support their families. One day, they hear of a tunnel where they can find underground treasure. To gain access to the tunnel, the kids have to enroll at the Sun School nearby, the charitable institution that tries to educate street kids.

The take

Whether because of absent family or nefarious criminals, there are children around the world that have to work, sometimes in risky, dangerous jobs. Sun Children follows one such group of children. It’s a sadly familiar tale, taking notes from neorealism in depicting this important issue, but what makes Sun Children stand out is the way it shows how child labor can easily erode a kid’s soul, having to prioritize survival over being taken care of. It’s tragic to see how its ensemble has trouble simply accepting regular schooling, because they had to keep up defenses to live. Sun Children is one of many social issue dramas about child labor, but it’s unfortunately necessary in a world that has failed many kids this way.

What stands out

Newcomer Rouhollah Zamani delivered a pretty great performance.

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

Holy Spider (2022)

A timely and terrifying noir that takes on systemic abuse and corruption in Iran

8.0

Children of Heaven (1997)

A heartwarming, Oscar-nominated family drama set in 1990s Iran

8.8

Persepolis (2007)

A free spirit comes of age in war-torn Iran

8.9

Through the Olive Trees (1994)

Abbas Kiarostami plays with reality and fiction in the bemusing final installment of the Koker trilogy

8.2

Terrestrial Verses (2023)

A subtle yet subversive snapshot of the absurdity of authoritarianism

7.8

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

A star-studded and riveting legal drama with a blockbuster feel.

8.1

Anora (2024)

An exciting and heartbreaking fairy tale with a modern, class-centric twist

9.0

The Guilty (2018)

A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.

9.0

My Old Ass (2024)

A pleasant mix of comedy and coming-of-age that may or may not leave you in tears

8.0

Number 24 (2024)

A hero is remembered in this uncompromising, haunting biopic

7.5

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2025 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.