The Old Man of Hara
Pire Hara
IRAN / 2001 / No dialogue / Color / Video / 30 min
Director, Script: Mahvash Sheikholeslami
Photography: Morteza Poursamadi
Editing: Kamran Shirdel
Sound: Ali Akbar Yaghobi
Production Company, Source, World Sales: Iranian Young Cinema Society (IYCS)
Gandhi Ave, 19th St. No. 20, Tehran IRAN
Phone: 98-21-8773114
Fax: 98-21-8795675
E-mail: naderi@iycs-ir.com
URL: www.shortfilm-ir.com
An elderly man silently fishes by himself with a simple net in an estuary where the changes in tide are extreme. Without narration or incident, we see him preparing to fish, cooking, taking a nap, washing clothes, and worshiping, as if in time with his breathing. Beyond land that is parched after the ebb tide, a big city is seen in the distance, like a mirage. There is no music, but instead the soundscape enhances the silence of the images through rich natural sounds and engine noise from bikes and boats.
[Director’s Statement] The beautiful and expansive Qeshm Island with its 1300-square-kilometer area is located in the south of the blue waters of the Persian Gulf. This mysterious island has many natural attractions, one being the Hara mangrove. Hara is the name of a kind of tree which is three to six meters tall, with bright-green leaves and branches. This tree is amazingly developed in the salt waters of the sea. The sweet leaves of this tree provide food for camels in the region. Hara mangrove is a calm and beautiful place. The songs of birds and the trilling waves create very calm, melodious and lovely music for human ears. And it was on such a magical island that The Old Man of Hara was filmed.
Mahvash SheikholeslamiBorn in 1946 in Iran and studied cinema at the London Film School. After making four short documentaries, started her professional career in 1975 as production and programing manager for numerous TV serials. Has been involved in both teaching cinema and producing movies and TV series in cooperation with well-known Iranian filmmakers. Silk (1998) was screened at YIDFF ’99 in New Asian Currents and won the Grand Prix at the 29th Tampere International Short Film Festival in 1999. Served as international jury member at the 30th Tampere International Short Film Festival in 2000. |
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• New Asian Currents | Sand and Water | Wellspring | Three-Five People | Homesick | The Circle’s Corner | The Maze of Lanes | Nee Engey—Where Are You | NEW (IMPROVED) DELHI—Director’s Cut | A Night of Prophecy | 150 Seconds Ago | The Ballad of Life | Noah’s Ark | The Old Man of Hara | Dandelion | Hibakusha—At the End of the World | 3rd Vol.2—2 Light House | And Thereafter | Dust Buries Sabuk | Family Project: House of a Father | Edit | Gina Kim’s Video Diary | Ordo | Her and Him Van Leo | The Big Durian | Perpetual Motion | Debris | Hard Good Life | Nail | The Rhythm in Wulu Village | A Short Journey • Jurors | Kim Dong-won | Kawase Naomi • New Asian Currents Special | Part 1 | Part 2 |