Les secrets de Baran

Majidi's 'Baran' is cinema at its purest. There is no background music. No prominent special effect. The female lead does not speak a word. It's filmed in the simplest way. It's not a colourful film and yet it is so stunning to look at because the raw Iranian landscape is beautifully captured. Majidi's films have always been subtle. He depicts the hardship of Afghan refugees in Iran very well especially the struggle between both the Iranians and the Afghans and the consequences. The story revolves around Lateef and the title character Baran. Initially Lateef loathes her but as his attraction towards Baran grows stronger, he is drawn towards her. Their love story is beautifully displayed as pure and innocent. Not a word is exchanged between Lateef and Baran and this simply shows that love need not be explained with words or even touch but with action and Lateef's sacrifice proves the depth of his love. Majidi also adds a touch of humour that adds to the genuine charm of the film. He makes some astonishingly clever use of symbolism such as the last scene when Lateef looks back at Baran's footprint (after she has departed), it represents the print she left on his heart. Hossein Abedini is fantastic as Lateef. His sublime transformation from the brattish, selfish and vindictive boy to the passionate, kind and selfless lover is phenomenal. Moreover the fact that a newcomer played the part makes it more incredible. The young and stunning Zahra Bahrami is equally amazing. The actress does not get one line to say yet her non-verbal acting is stupendous. The supporting cast, though most of them include non-professionals, look authentic. To me 'Baran' was truly a unique and enlightening experience. Films like this are a rare 'breed'. They are not easy to find.

There are directors who give one or two classics and are considered immortal and than there's Majid who gives classic back to back. Well I don't have word for him.

Baran is one such film from the director who has given us Children of Heaven. The simplicity of the film and the simplicity of cinematography are exemplary. Way the beauty of Iraq is captured is amazing. Each scene is aesthetic yet poignant. With minimal dialogues and no dialogues for the girl playing the title role it is quite an experimental film. If any one has noticed the film there are only on three instances that background score comes into play and during this time you will notice that we are watching a movie and not a documentary. They cast which was mostly non-professional actors looks authentic and spontaneous. The technical aspects are simple like an achievement. And last scene when rain (Baran) starts pouring down to fill the mark created by Baran's shoes is overwhelming.

To write about the director will be like undermining his work. In one word he is brilliant.

If you have not seen it you are completely missing one genre of films.

`Don't you go letting life harden your heart . . . we can let the circumstances of our lives harden us so that we become increasingly resentful and afraid, or we can let them soften us and make us kinder. We always have the choice.' ...The Dalai Lama

Baran is the latest film from the director of Children of Heaven and Color of Paradise. It has strong appeal because of the natural performances of its non-professional actors, its well-drawn characters, and its message of the transforming power of generosity. Like Kandahar, our attention is drawn to the desperate plight of the Afghan people.

Baran begins with a note about the reality of the 1.4 million refugees from Afghanistan living in Iran, a number that has probably increased substantially since September 11th. Some are of the current generation that was born in Iran and have never set foot in Afghanistan; others have recently fled from Taliban oppression and long to return home. Afghans are forbidden to hold jobs by Iranian law and must work illegally, usually in unskilled heavy labor jobs.

Shot in the style of the Italian Neo-Realists (realistic stories told against real backgrounds with sometimes non-professional casts), Baran has a tone of drabness, only occasionally interrupted with bursts of color. At a construction site in Northern Tehran, Memar (Mohammad Amir Naji) employs a large number of Afghans to work along side of Turks and Iranians. This film shows a microcosm of the blue-collar working class in today's Tehran. Many languages are spoken and the film sheds some light on the variety of ethnic groups present in Iran. In spite of some harsh treatment of workers Memar has moments of generosity and humor, and his outwardly harsh exterior seems to mask a genuine sympathy for the workers.

A 17 year old Iranian tea boy, Latif (Hossein Abedini), an Iranian Azeri, feels his job is threatened by a new worker Rahmat (Zahra Bahrami) who comes to work when his father is injured on the job. Rahmat has difficulty performing construction tasks and is moved to the kitchen to prepare and serve the tea, essentially switching jobs with Latif. Latif, short tempered to begin with, now takes out after Rahmat, intent on getting revenge, leading to a series of slapstick encounters that are almost Chaplinesque in tone.

After Latif discovers Rahmat's secret (he is a she named "Baran"), the film is devoted to his transformation from a selfish wise guy to a caring and surprisingly generous young man. The film becomes a series of encounters in which Latif, infatuated with Rahmat, secretly tries to help her in any way possible, donating his entire savings to her family and involving himself in protecting her from the hands of inspectors looking for illegal immigrants.

Though I found Baran to be, at times, somewhat repetitious and dramatically weak (it doesn't help that Latif and Rahmat never interact), it is a humanistic film, full of warmth and humor. Though a film about dehumanizing working conditions, its true focus is the emotional awakening of a young man who has discovered his own self worth through the act of kindness to another, perhaps symbolizing the discovery of the plight of Afghans by the Western world. Baran (also translated as "Rain", the symbol for springtime) builds to a poignant climax, leaving Latif with the wistful image of a footstep in rain-splattered mud, an image that may remain with him as a constant inspiration for future self-sacrifice.

One of the most beautifully done and wonderfully acted movies I have seen in a very long time, years even. A movie of the such moving unselfish love. It goes to show you that you do not to have sex or even touching or kissing to feel or show the love that these two people have for each other. Due to cultural differences they can not even touch each other. The scene in which he helps her pick up the fruit that has fallen on the ground is so touching. How their hands criss cross each other without touching. See how just the closeness of their arms and hands to each other evoke such passionate feelings and the way they dig deep into each others eyes is wonderful. What an incredible movie.

Something must be there in the air of Iran! How can they repeatedly make such good films? What is it about this country's landscape/culture/socio-economic circumstances that is so unique, that seems like it cannot be replicated anywhere else... I've watched many Iranian films over the years and each one of them has been a cinematic treat. Iranian filmmakers have truly raised the bar of cinema. If films are about capturing a slice of human life, presenting it as justly as possible and thereby helping us understand ourselves better, than I think Iranian filmmakers have done just that...over and over again!

'Baran' is again a gem of a film - basically a love story which beautifully talks about the prevailing socio-cultural dynamics in Iran at the time. Hossein Abedini as Lateef is excellent - your typical lovable rogue who has an insatiable propensity for mischief but is basically good at heart! Mohammad Amir Naji as Memar is absolutely endearing! You cannot help but be touched by this man's kindness and his subtle paternal attitude towards Lateef. Mohammad Amir Naji was also there in 'Children of Heaven' and even in that he was so amazing! He must be major actor in Iran or at least I hope he is! And Zahra Bahrami as Baran - a very controlled beautiful performance.

The "still sad music of humanity" reverberates in Iranian cinema all the time except that it is also complimented with refreshing doses of humour and joy revolving everyday situations and actions. Watch 'Baran' for another example of good cinema from Iran! Thankfully there's plenty of it there and plenty for us to see, enjoy and may be even learn...