Set in Iran, the story follows the ambition of Afshin Ghaffarian. During the volatile climate of the 2009 presidential election, Afshin and some friends, including Elaheh, risk their lives and form an underground dance company.[5] The group learned the dancing from videos of Michael Jackson, Gene Kelly and Rudolf Nureyev even though the online videos are banned.[6] Afshin and Elaheh also learn much from each other and learned how to embrace their passion for dance and for one another.[7][8]
Richard Raymond makes his full-length film directorial debut working with acclaimed choreographer Akram Khan, whose work featured in the Olympic opening ceremony at London 2012. Raymond produced the film through his May 13 Films banner. Freida Pinto undertook an intensive training schedule for the role that comprised eight hours of dance rehearsals every day for 14 weeks.[9] Photo call for the film was held at the Palais des Festivals during the third day of the 65th annual Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France on Friday May 18, 2012.[10][11]Relativity Media acquired North America distribution rights to the film [12] at 2013 American Film Market.[13]
The film premiered in Hong Kong on August 28, 2014 and in the United States on April 10, 2015.[16]
Reception
The film received a mixed reception from critics. As of September 2021[update], the film holds a 32% approval rating on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 44 reviews with an average score of 5.3/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Desert Dancer never finds an agreeable rhythm, resulting in a musical drama that doesn't deliver on the promised spectacle or political commentary."[17]
