The 5th of June Flight

On 5 June four hijackers, three men and a woman, hijack an Iranian passenger aircraft. Their commander is a person named Fariborz Atabaki [Nasser Aghayi]. Two of the passengers, one of whom later turns out to be an officer, disarm the hijackers; to the astonishment of the passengers they guide the aircraft to the same European destination the hijackers had intended. The original planners of the hijack hold a press conference at the destination. They say all the passengers are seeking asylum and ask the officer to tell the journalists his views. He says his reason for bringing the aircraft here is to show the world the passengers have no interest in political or social asylum; they all want to return to Iran.

Directed by Alireza Samee-Azar, The 5th of June Flight leans on a strong ensemble — Majid Jafari, Nasser Aghayi, Ebrahim Abadi — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 1989.