Persian Realm

French Iranian actress Anicée Shahmanesh (known as Anicée Alvina) first breakthrough in films came with Lewis Gilbert's sweet semi erotic romance about two unhappy teenagers, a British boy (Sean Bury) and French girl ( Alvina) who flee their homes for the French countryside to live their love as young adults. (circa 1971)

Friends is a 1971 film written and directed by Lewis Gilbert (who later made a few James Bond Films with Roger Moore), Vernon Harris and Jack Russell. Though the movie was initially a flop, it was released again to great international success after the soundtrack by Elton John and Bernie Taupin was a huge Hit in the charts, and was released as the Friends album. The film was nominated for Best Foreign Film - English Language at the 1972 Golden Globe Awards. It was also nominated for Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture at the 1972 Grammy Awards.

Plot:

In this teen romance, a young neglected English boy (Sean Bury) runs away and becomes friends with a French girl (Anicée Alvina) in the same plight. Together, they go to an idyllic marsh location in France (the Camargue), become lovers, set up housekeeping, have a baby, and play at being responsible adults, discovering along the way many of the troubles involved before ultimately becoming separated by Police responding to a missing persons report. The film found a significant niche audience with its idyllic portrayal of teen love, and quite possibly due to its inclusion of frontal nudity of the then-17-year-old female protagonist (who was portrayed as 14 in the film). This was enough to justify the 1974 sequel, Paul and Michelle, in which the young family is reunited and has to cope with a new love interest for the girl, and the difficulties of work and college while trying to maintain a family.

Recommended Readings:

Anicée (ALVINA) Shahmanesh: France's Sex Icon of the 1970's By DK

Anicee (Alvina) Shahmanesh (28th January 1954-11Th November 2006): Persian Sex Icon of French Cinema Dies in Paris at Age 53 By DK

Watch the Film in 16 Parts on youtube in Hight Quality ( By Clicking on HQ)

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Part V

Part VI

Part VII

Part VIII

Part IX

Part X

Part XI

Part XII

Part XIII

Part XIV

Part XV

Part XVI