Eastern Promise Moshen Makhmalbaf Iran 75 min
30th anniversary of quite possibly the most eye poppingly gorgeous film ever made, a sumptuous allegorical tale focusing on an almost extinct nomadic tribe of South Eastern Iran who are famed for their intricately designed Persian carpets.
An old woman washes a brightly coloured carpet by a river, and somehow the carpet begins to tell its story. It belongs to Gabbeh, a young woman travelling with her nomadic family across the mountains of south-east Iran. She is in love with a young man who follows the tribe on horseback, but her family refuses to let them marry. As the journey continues, Gabbeh dreams of the life she wants and waits for the day when she can finally be with him.
Directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Gabbeh is a richly textured weaving of costumes, rituals, beliefs, ethnography and traditional storytelling that casts a seductive spell. The striking images and playful use of colour make the film feel almost like a moving painting, where carpets, landscapes and everyday life become part of the storytelling.
“Like its subject, Gabbeh is woven with art” – New York Times
“A work of shimmering beauty” – Los Angeles Times
“There is hardly a composition in the film that couldn't be extracted and framed” – The New Republic
Credits:
- Actor
- Rogheih Moharami, Hossein Moharami, Shaghayeh Djodat
- Director
- Moshen Makhmalbaf
Running Time: 75 min
Year: 1996
Country: Iran
Languages: Persian (Farsi)
Subtitles: English
Recomended Age: U
