Type: Feature Film
Director: Nacer Khemir
Year: 2006
Time: 96 minutes
Produced by: Cyriac Auriol & Ali Reza Shojanoori
Written by: Nacer Khemir
Edited by: Isabelle Rathery
Language: Arabic and Farsi w/ English subtitles
Winner! Kazan Golden Minbar Film Festival, 2007, Best Feature Film
Winner! Muscat Film Festival, 2006, Golden Dagger
Winner! Fajr Film Festival, 2005, Crystal Simorgh (Spiritual Section) “An Arabian dream that weaves timeless story threads with mystical and Sufi elements into a beautiful film object. . . as fascinating as reading a new chapter of 1,001 Nights.” - Deborah Young, Variety
New York, NY . Cinema Village . February 8, 2008 Atlanta, GA . High Museum of Art . February 16, 2008 Los Angeles, CA . Nuart Theatre . February 22, 2008 Seattle, WA . Varsity Theatre . March 14, 2008 New Orleans, LA . Zeitgeist Arts Center . March 21, 2008 San Francisco, CA . Lumiere Theatre . April 4, 2008 Berkeley, CA . Shattuck Cinemas . April 4, 2008 San Rafael, CA . Smith Rafael Film Center . April 11, 2008 Boston, MA . Kendall Square Cinema . April 25, 2008 Denver, CO . Starz FilmCenter . May 2, 2008 Cleveland, OH . Cleveland Museum of Art . May 10 & 11, 2008 Fort Worth, TX . Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth . May 16, 2008 Santa Fe, NM . Center For Contemporary Arts . May 16, 2008 Chicago, IL . Gene Siskel Film Center . May 30, 2008 St. Louis, MO . Webster University Film Series . June 13-15, 2008 Washington, DC . E Street Cinema . June 20, 2008 Detroit, MI . Maple Art Theatre . June 27, 2008 Austin, TX . Dobie Theatre . July 11, 2008 Hartford, CT . Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art . July 17-20, 2008 Madison, WI . Sundance Cinemas . August 1, 2008 Hanover, NH . Hopkins Center Film . August 10, 2008 Ann Arbor, MI . Michigan Theater . August 15, 2008 Portland, OR . Regal Fox Tower Stadium 10 . September 5, 2008 Minneapolis, MN . Lagoon Cinema . September 5, 2008
A visual poem of incomparable beauty, this masterpiece from director Nacer Khemir (Wanderers of the Desert) 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, Nacir Khemir has created a fairytale-like story of longing and belonging, filmed in the enchanting and ever-shifting sandscapes of Tunisia and Iran.
Director Nacer Khemir's past cinematic achievements include his award-winning features Les Baliseurs du Désert (Wanderers of the Desert), awarded Grand Prix of the Festival des Trois Continents in 1984, and Le Collier Perdu de la Colombe (The Dove's Lost Necklace), which won the Special Jury Prize at Locarno in 1991. The script was written by Nacer Khemir with the participation of screenwriter Tonino Guerra (Amarcord, Night of the Shooting Stars, Blowup and L’Avventura).
Rental Information
This film is available from AFD on 35mm and video for public screenings and television broadcast. For information regarding rental rates and formats, please contact institutions@arabfilm.com for institutional/non-theatrical screenings, or festivals@arabfilm.com for theatrical, festival, television, or other bookings.
