Martin-117

The story of an orphan girl, brought up in naive, rustic innocence by an elderly relative, who is suddenly exposed to the brutality, greed and deceptiveness of the outside world, when her grandmother dies.

Notwithstanding her healthy distrust of all strangers, which her upbringing instilled in her, it is not long before a cunning racketeer finds her weak point, that temptation which she cannot resist, that weakness, different as it may be, that each of us has, and brings her into his power.

What follows is a depiction of her cruel descent into the depths of moral decay, as she becomes a collaborator in a system of exploitation, unbridled lust, vanity, and greed, in which she and other victims are always the losers. But throughout this struggle, there remains in her the seed of defiance, and a spark of resistance, a stubborn obstinacy that will not give in. It is this conflict between fundamental principle and the expedience of giving in to material advantage that forms the core of the film. The irreconcilable contradiction between eternal values, and short term gratification.

A difficult and demanding film to watch, that is however very well made, intense, and memorable.

Chronicle of a tribe's struggle for survival in a climatically harsh part of Iran, meditating on the four seasons of the year, and how they are experienced by people who depend directly on nature for their survival. Stunning landscape photography and portrayal of colour make up for some gaps in the story.

Movingly sensitive portrayal of the momentary contacts of those who cannot, or may not, commit themselves to a relationship, the emotionally dispossessed who yearn for some kind of compassion and closeness. Realistically filmed on the streets of Teheran, it is a ponderous, deliberate film, that requires sensitivity and contemplation from the viewer.

In some ways the film is fragmentary, and it is difficult to understand exactly what the circumstances of the protagonists are, there is a lot that is not shown, only vaguely alluded to, but that kind of enigmatic mystery is integral to such fleeting and fragile encounters, and it lends further authenticity to a film that rings absolutely true.

Rather than trying to work out exactly how things fit together, I just observed the gracefully accomplished photography, the symbols of time passing and the barriers between people, and let myself sense the slightly melancholy atmosphere the film evokes, the foreshadowing of life to be plodded or ground away to the sound of an empty bus labouring along its route.