Intrigue

The wife of Nasim, an Afghan immigrant in Iran, is gravely ill. He needs money to pay for her care, but his day labor digging wells does not pay enough. A friend connects Nasim to a two-bit promoter who sells tickets to watch Nasim ride a bicycle continuously for a week. The promoter brings in sick and aged spectators, haranguing them to find hope in Nasim's strength. Aided by his son, who feeds him as he rides, Nasim grinds out the days and shivering nights. Local officials believe this may be a plot and Nasim may be a spy; they try to sabotage him as do those who bet he won't finish the week. Will desperation alone get Nasim the money? Is any triumph an illusion?—<jhailey@hotmail.com>

Mohsen Makhmalbaf's "The Cyclist" depicts an episode in the life of a poor Afghan immigrant in Iran. Nasim ((Moharram Zaynalzadeh) is watching his friend performing a motorcycle act, but his mind is really on his wife Noghre, laying gravely ill in the local hospital. The hospital is asking for more money in order to continue treatment, and Nasim, a well-digger, is unable to raise enough money from his work. He attempts unsuccessfully several other schemes, including driving a truck of illegal immigrants, or faking a suicide under a truck. Eventually, Nasim attracts the attention of a circus promoter who recognizes him as the once Afghan champion of a three-day endurance bicycle marathon. The promoter proposes to Nasim a seven-day marathon, which he accepts. During these seven days, people of all sorts flock to see Nasim's calvary brought about by his poverty and despair, including gamblers who try to sabotage or facilitate his attempt. For these seven days, Nasim has to contain with street vendors, fortune tellers, and political agitators, each trying to exploit his marathon for their own benefits. But simply staying awake on the bicycle becomes an almost insurmountable task. Eventually, Nasim completes the seven days marathon, a celebration of the triumph of the human spirit.