Persian Lessons (2020)
Persian Lessons is streaming in Germany on ArthouseCNMA, Arthouse CNMA Amazon Channel, filmingo.
The verdict
Persian Lessons stands out as one of the better-rated German films around at the moment. It holds a 7.6/10 on TMDB from 513 ratings, well above the typical run of new releases. It runs a manageable 127 minutes. In Germany you can stream it on ArthouseCNMA, Arthouse CNMA Amazon Channel, filmingo.
Should you spend 2h 7m on it?
2h 7m of German war, leaning drama, not one for younger kids. Standard length — a normal evening's watch, nothing to plan around.
- Why
- It rates 7.6/10 on 513 ratings so far — a strong early showing.
- Skip if
- you want to avoid sustained combat violence
- Best for
- An ordinary evening in
Story
Occupied France, 1942. Gilles is arrested by SS soldiers alongside other Jews and sent to a camp in Germany. He narrowly avoids sudden execution by swearing to the guards that he is not Jewish, but Persian. This lie temporarily saves him, but Gilles gets assigned a life-or-death mission: to teach Farsi to Head of Camp Koch, who dreams of opening a restaurant in Iran once the war is over. Through an ingenious trick, Gilles manages to survive by inventing words of "Farsi" every day and teaching them to Koch.
Good to know
| Runtime | 2h 7m |
| Watch with family? | 12 · Older kids & up |
| Genre | War / Drama |
| Language | German |
| Best screen | Stream at home |
Director
Vadim Perelman
Cast
Where to watch in Germany
Included with a subscription — no extra charge on these platforms.
Availability as of 2026-09-19 — platforms may change over time.
Trailer
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