Two parallel love stories in which couples are frustrated by hidden and unavoidable obstacles, the force of superstition, and the mechanics of power. The very existence of this film is almost a miracle. Shot in hiding by Jafar Panahi, shortly before he was arrested and sentenced to a 6-year jail term, NO BEARS is a major work within the filmography of the Iranian master. A monument to the artist's commitment to his art, society, and freedom of expression.<