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Baran"
Synopsis
Plot Overview
Latif is a young man working a construction site in Tehran where the overseer is illegally giving work to Afghanistan refugees. When one of the workers breaks a leg, he sends his son to work in his place. Latif discovers that the son is really a daughter named Baran and becomes drawn to her. He tries help her out by discreetly getting money to her father so that she won't have to work, but it never turns out as Latif expects it to. On the first try, the friend who is supposed to deliver the money takes off with it. Then when Latif delivers some himself (claiming it is from the overseer), Baran's father decides to use it to return to their native Afghanistan.
Commentary
"Baran" is an engaging film that brings to life a part of the world which is almost never portrayed in film, at least films accessible to us in North America. The piece has a delicious raw quality about it, evidenced in the somewhat rough framing and cutting. There is a characteristic abundance of shots held for a long time as we see the expression on a character's face slowly migrate from one emotion to another.
The story is quite different from what we expect. Latif and Baran NEVER actually speak. There is no classic romance or anything like that. This is more about personal sacrifice and putting the other person before oneself. Latif gives up a year's salary, and when the friend absconds with it, Latif just scrounges more to try and help Baran. The ending caught me off guard. We wonder if Latif was happy, relieved, or disappointed in the end to see Baran leave with her father.
Extras
Miramax
2001, Color, Rated PG
1 Hr 34 Min
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 16x9 enh
Farsi/Dari Dolby Stereo
(English Subtitles)
Starring Hossein Abedini, Zahra Bahrami, and Mohammad Amir Naji.
Directed by Majid Majid
DVD Released 10/22/2002
0
5
Entertainment
Video
Audio
Extras
MPEG Flags
Violence
Mild
Sex
No
Language
No
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