Thisisanunusualfilmofexceptionalvalues--75minuteslongincolor,withhardlyanyspokendialogs.IsawthisIranianfilminFarsiwithoutEnglishsubtitlesattheEarlyIraniancinemaretrospectiveon-goingInternationalFilmFestivalofKerala,India.ThatIwaswatchingaprintwithoutsubtitlesdidnotmakeadifferenceastherewereveryfewlinesofspokendialogsccc Thisisaveryaccessiblefilmforanyaudiencetoenjoy--itsstoryandvaluesarenotmerelyIranian,it'suniversal. ThefilmissetinruralIranthathadnottastedpetro-dollarprosperity.Thesettingisonfringesofdesertland,wherewaterisscarce,rainfallscantyandhardlyanybladeofgrassisgreen.Addtoitwindanddustthatbuffetsandwhipsmanandanimalandyoucanimagineplightofthepeoplewholiveonthefringesofsociety. Thefilmismovingtaleofayoungteenagerreturningtohisvillagewithagoat--onlytofindhisfamilyandvillagershavemovedontoescapenaturesvagariesandthatoneoldmanremains.Hegivesthegoattohimandgoesinsearchofhisfamily.Waterisscarceandwellwaterittreatedwithreverenceandneverwasted.
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