Baran (film)
| Baran | |
|---|---|
DVD cover
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| Directed by | Majid Majidi |
| Produced by | Majid Majidi Fouad Nahas |
| Written by | Majid Majidi |
| Starring |
Hossein Abedini Zahra Bahrami Mohammad Amir Naji Abbas Rahimi Gholam Ali Bakhshi |
| Music by | Ahmad Pejman |
| Distributed by | Miramax Films |
|
Release date
|
January 31, 2001 (Fajr) |
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Running time
|
94 minutes |
| Country | Iran |
| Language |
Persian Azeri |
Baran (Persian: باران ; literally: Rain) is a 2001 Iranian film directed by Majid Majidi, based on an original script by Majid Majidi. The movie is set during recent times in which there are a large number of Afghan refugees living on the outskirts of Tehran. Almost a silent movie, Baran won a number of awards both nationally and internationally for the director and writer Majid Majidi.
It is winter in Teheran. Lateef is 17. He works at a building construction site managed by MEMAR, the site foreman. Lateef's job is to serve tea and prepare food for the workers with whom he is always quarrelling. The workers come from all parts of Iran, particularly from Iranian Azerbaijan (Azeris are referred as "Turks" in the film). Some workers are Afghan refugees from war-torn Afghanistan. They have no identity cards and are employed illegally as cheap labour. When the labour inspectors show up, the Afghan workers must hide.
As the story starts, an Afghan worker, NAJAF, falls from the building and breaks his leg. He is taken to the hospital. The next day, SOLTAN, another Afghan worker, brings in RAHMAT, Najaf's son, who is around 14 years old, to replace his father. Memar soon realizes that Rahmat is not fit for such hard work, and decides to switch the jobs between Rahmat and Lateef. Lateef is furious, threatens Rahmat, tries to sabotage his work and spies on him. One day, by looking through the door where Rahmat works, he is totally shocked to discover that Rahmat is a girl. As he watches her comb her hair, he finds himself in a strange state, surrounded by unusual sounds.
From then on his attitude changes completely; he becomes protective, helpful and gradually desperately in love with Rahmat. While Rahmat does not express herself verbally at all, over time she seems to respond to this love. During a surprise visit of the labour inspectors, they find themselves face to face with Rahmat. She panics and runs away, as they chase her through the city streets. Lateef runs after them, struggling with the inspectors while Rahmat flees. Lateef is beaten and taken to the police station. Now Memar must pay a fine, comply with the law, and lay off all illegal Afghan workers.
Lateef can't bear Rahmat's absence, and decides to locate Soltan to get some news of her. He goes to the village where the Afghans live, walks around, meets an enigmatic cobbler, and ends up in the courtyard of a shrine near a graveyard where Afghan families are gathered for a local milk ceremony. He inquires about Soltan, but gets no clues. Among the Afghans in the courtyard stands Rahmat in female clothing. She sees Lateef, stares at him for a while, then leaves the ceremony. Lateef is not aware of her presence. The next day on the road, he finds Soltan, and learns that Rahmat works in the village near the river. Lateef rushes there to find Rahmat in a pitiful state, working with other women carrying heavy stones from the river. He is distressed, and wants to find a way to help her out of that ordeal.
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