Cinematography by Mahmoud Kalari
Edited by Isabelle Rathery
Original music by Armand Amar
Tunisia/Iran/UK/Switzerland/Hungary/France/Germany, 2005, color, 35mm, 1.85:1, distributed by Typecast Releasing, 98 min.
Cast: Parviz Shahinkhou, Maryam Hamid, Hossein Panahi, Nessim Khaloul
Arabic/Persian with English subtitles
“A visual poem of incomparable beauty, this masterpiece from director
Nacer Khemir begins with the story of a blind dervish named Bab’Aziz
and his spirited granddaughter, Ishtar. Together they wander the desert
in search of a great reunion of dervishes that takes place just once
every thirty years. With faith as their only guide, the two journey for
days through the expansive, barren landscape. To keep Ishtar
entertained, Bab’Aziz relays the ancient tale of a prince who
relinquished his realm in order to remain next to a small pool in the
desert, staring into its depths while contemplating his soul. As the
tale of the prince unfolds, the two encounter other travelers with
stories of their own–including Osman, who longs for the beautiful woman
he met at the bottom of a well, and Zaid, who searches for the
ravishing young woman who fled from him after being seduced by his
songs. Filled with breathtaking images and wonderful music, Nacer
Khemir has created a fairytale-like story of longing and belonging,
filmed in the enchanting and ever-shifting sandscapes of Tunisia and
Iran.” --Typecast Films description