A once thriving reception hall has been reduced to catering to the funeral business and the somber rituals of death. The owner, Soleimani, is a sour, lonely and unloved old man who treats his workers with contempt, inflicting small cruelties whenever possible. Embittered and seeing a psychologist, he decides he will close the business in twenty days, sending his staff, already fighting just to get by, into a state of fear and uncertainty. Like a close-knit family, the staff members endure their daily suffering together. These good-hearted people include an ostracized young widow trying to survive with her daughter; a chef with a paralyzed arm who has a demanding wife; and two young men, working but homeless, who must sleep in the company's truck. Despite Soleimani's indifference to their plight, the people on his staff have retained their hope and humanity. As the threat of closure nears, they work together to save the hall and at the same time attend to each others' emotional needs.

In the market Abdolhamid meets Faezeh and falls in love with her. They get marry and begin their life. But after a while Faezeh becomes aware of Abdolhamid's family in Sistan and Baluchestan province and that they are doing illegals. Faezeh decides to escape with her husband to Pakistan but there they meet Abdolhamid's brother Abdolmalek Rigi who is a terrorist.

Mahnaz, a 40-year-old widowed nurse, struggles with her rebellious son, Aliyar, who has been suspended from school. Family tensions reach a peak during the betrothal ceremony with her new boyfriend Hamid, and a tragic accident occurs. In the aftermath, Mahnaz will be forced to confront betrayal and loss, and to embark on a quest for justice.

2001年戛纳电影节影评人周单元最佳影片奖 2001年东京国际电影节最佳导演奖、评审团奖 神学院学生赛耶德·哈桑即将升职做牧师，偏偏在就职典礼之前他的礼服被一个小男孩偷去了。于是他追踪到一个边远的郊区，那里的居民生活贫苦，从未见过牧师，对此知之甚少。最后，赛耶德学会了重要的一课：在宗教教义与艰难的生活现实生活存在着鸿沟，而这样的差异需要用情感去填补。雷萨-米尔卡瑞米导演在东京国际电影节致词时特别强调，他想告诉大家其实伊斯兰教是很爱好和平的宗教，而且也反对恐怖主义，并不是一种带暴力色彩的宗教。 与我们同根同种的亚洲人拍的这片子里，处处使我觉得亲切熟稔。年轻人憨憨而不知所措的表情、学校长者官腔却不乏真情的训导、暗淡而陈旧的店铺、城市角落里最卑微的人群、缓慢的生活，这一切都像是我们自己在成长路上所经历所看见过的。 他们多诚实，伊朗的贫困与落后历历地显现出来。可我敢说，这片子能打动的绝不止我一个人，也不止我们这些亚洲人。描绘贫穷而非展示贫穷，坦陈伤口而非哀矜伤口，伊朗的导演实在胜过我们某些所谓著名导演太多。