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2. Zahara's first reaction to the missing shoes is touching. She could have immediately told on Ali, and she even threatens to do so unless Ali can come up with a creative solution. As they pass notes together on the floor, the father looks on suspiciously. The children create their own pact, separate from their parents. Using the clever method of note writing, they conspire to share shoes. Zahara is not completely happy with the solution, but she trusts her brother. Ali feels terrible that he lost the shoes and is willing to do what it takes to make up for the error. They understand together that it would not solve anything to tell their parents. The shoes are already lost, and they need to come up with a solution that will prevent them from getting into more trouble. This scene has an emotional impact on me in the tender way the brother and sister learn to bond in a time of need.

3. There are several elements that make it possible to compare Children of Heaven to The Bicycle Thief. For one, a bicycle features at the end of Children of Heaven as it carries a pair of pink shoes. This could even be a deliberate and conscious allusion to 1948 The Bicycle Thief on the part of the filmmakers given the movies share much in common. Elements that the two films share in common include featuring a poor family at the center of the story; the use of creative thinking to solve real world problems; and the theme of personal pride especially as it relates to masculinity. Both Antonio and Ali share in common a desire to redeem their poverty as a matter of personal pride. They understand the need to break some social rules and norms in order to help those they love.

4. Children of Heaven is unique in that it offers insight into the daily lives of Iranians. The pacing of the film is good, and aesthetically, the film presents Tehran in a way that focuses on its people. Two children are the protagonists of the film, but the film is written for everyone. Likewise, the movie takes place in Iran but the themes are universal in scope. Ali and Zahara work together; they do not want to hurt their parents who cannot afford new shoes. The film is heartfelt, heartwarming, and touching. Scenes that reveal the tender bond between two young siblings show how emotional ties transcend the petty problems that poverty presents. Anyone curious about Persian society should watch Children of Heaven. However, the film does transcend its cultural and historical context because it shows how people work together to collaborate creatively on common goals.