SILENCE OF THE SEA

Iran, 2000, 85 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Wahid Mousayian.

Silence of the Sea was shot in Sweden and on the southern islands of Iran? Its focus is on a man who has left Iran a long time ago, cutting contact with friend and with family (but watching videos of his mother and father at the opening of the film pleading for him to come back home). He has a good job in Sweden, is married with two children. However, he is restless and decides to return to one of the islands off the coast of Iran where he does not need a visa. He contacts his friend, they plan to meet, he also meets a friendly smuggler on the island who helps him in his days pondering on what he should do, remembering his past, absorbing the atmosphere, light, sounds and activities of Iran. Finally, in a rowboat, he reaches within a hundred metres of the Iranian shore and his friends, but the boatman refuses to do anything illegal and turns back.

The film is one of great melancholy, the plight of the migrant who in mid life realises what has been left behind and needs to come to terms with this. There is a brooding performance by the central character, and the device of mobile phones to enable contact with friends and with Sweden in all kinds of places, the middle of the desert, on the sea enable the drama to proceed. Some of the material is shot in video and hand-held camera.

1. The title, the sea and the coast of Iran, the effect on the central character?

2. The Swedish scenes, video and hand-held camera? The contrast between Stockholm in winter and Iran? The Iranian locations, the sea and the coast, the coastline and the cliffs, the village, the desert, the striking mountains? The film highlighting the contrast? The musical score?

3. The reality of the situation, migrants, homesickness? The mistakes made in leaving? The false ambitions, the hopes? The reality? The character of Siavash? Age, past experience in Iran, the relationship with his parents, his friend and their theatre work, the migration to Sweden, his ambitions, marriage, the children? The portrait of Harriet, glimpsing her, the phone calls, her concerns? The children, seeing them, on the phone, missing their father, sickness, nightmares, love? The effect on Siavash of these phone calls?

4. His journey, on the boat, the camera, the clash with Abdo? The later friendship, settling in the hotel, Iranian hospitality, seeing him as a guest?

5. The days passing, his wandering, in the town, the outskirts, on the shore? The phone calls and Abdo getting him the mobile phone? His seeing the refugees being pursued and jumping into the water? Talking with the young man drying his clothes - later seeing the refugees hiding in the water, reaching out to the young man who had dreams of migrating? Brooding, sleeping, being woken by the phone? His talking with his friend, cutting him off? Going to the water, setting up the camera, walking into the water, unable to swim? His being rescued? His moving in with Abdo? The drama and comedy of the international phone call? His riding the horse into the desert and seeing the family? His decision to hire the boat, the voyage during the night, almost to land, jumping in the water, unable to swim, getting back in the boat, stranded at the edge of Iran?

6. The supporting characters: Abdo, genial, on the boat, getting anything, smuggling, his friendship with Siavash? The mother, her hospitality, her concern about her son? The people in the hotel and their kindness? The phone operator? The young men infatuated with her and watching her, singing? The messages all on the public address system? The old man rowing him in the boat? The young man and the illegal migrants, his idealistic dreams, thinking that everybody was waiting for him?

7. The poignancy of the situation, the possibilities for solutions?