KILLING LOVER TRADITION

Iran, 2003, 90 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Khosro Masoumi.

Killing Lover Tradition is a story, very melodramatic, set on the borders of Iran. It focuses on life in a village during the winter, especially a young boy at school, his father who works in illegal woodcutting and smuggling, his mother with her children and her emotional nervousness about the situation in the village. A group of woodcutters lead to the arrest and imprisonment of the father. His prospective son-in-law is in love with his daughter and is doing his military service with the police. He takes the man to prison. On his return, he wants to find out the truth and eventually tracks down the group of woodcutters who brutally murder him. The little boy, who has offered to pay off his father's debt for a broken saw, works after school for the woodcutters. He actually sees the murder - and in the final scene when his mother comes to the prison, his hair has turned white.

The location photography and the Iranian mountains in the snow are beautiful, picturesque, at times threatening as trees fall in the forest, birds fly away and the snow and ice seem dangerous. The action, however, is highly melodramatic, especially in the character of the often hysterical mother. The film is of interest in showing village life in Iran at the beginning of the 21st century.

1. The melodramatic aspects of the film? The imprisoned father, the anxious mother, the little boy at school, his having to work, his seeing the murder? The daughter, her courtship with the young man, his pursuit of the criminals and the brutality of his death? The reaction of the family?

2. The location photography, the initial tree falling in the forest, the winter and the snow and ice, the waterfalls? The trees, the looting of the trees, their export? The world of the woodcutters, criminals, their interactions with each other, playing and cheating at cards, their fighting, their collaboration to kill the young man - with the exception of one who was attacked by the leader?

3. The characters: the father in prison, going on his journey and the introduction at the beginning, the visit by his wife in prison, his son wanting a watch, his return home, high hopes? His work in smuggling the wood, having the son bring his saw, breaking it?

4. The boy, his love for his family, going to school, bringing the saw to his father? The father's arrest? The debt, his working for the group, his sleeping in school? His mother finding out? His following the young man, seeing the murder, running away, his hair turning white?

5. The mother, having to cope with the absent father, her visit? Life at home? Her hysterical outbursts? The daughter, looking forward to the marriage? Her grief at her fiance's death? The mother with the little baby?

6. The police, the investigations? The young man, accompanying his prospective father-in-law, his search in the mountains, his courtship of the young girl, measuring her foot for shoes in the city? The courtship, the hopes? The brutality of his death?

7. Life in the village, the various people and their daily tasks at school, work? The contrast with the men in the forest? An interesting example of Iranian life?