DEEP BREATH

Iran, 2002, 83 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Parviz Shahbazi.

Deep Breath is a piece of sophisticated film-making from Iran. It focuses on three young characters, and shows youth alienation in Teheran. It focuses on an alienated middle-class young man, who refuses to eat, commits acts of vandalism and theft, depends on a young friend and who eventually dies. The young friend is more positive, joins in the vandalism, but is attracted to a young student whom he picks up hitchhiking. His whole mood changes and he gives all his attention to the young woman, taking her for outings, coming alive in discussions. However, he fails to meet her when his friend becomes sick and he has to take him to hospital. Fortunately for him, the young woman waits for him. The young woman is also from a middle-class family, sorting herself out, moving into a student dormitory from her family home.

The title of the film refers to people drowning and the need for breath, the opening (which is also the end of the film) where two young people have driven into a dam and died while the alienated student practises holding his breath in a swimming pool.

The film shows a contemporary Teheran, universal problems with disaffected young people, alienation, and the possibility of some kind of hope. However, with the deaths of the main characters, the film has a rather pessimistic tone.

1. The impact of the film? Contemporary Teheran? Iranian society? The portrait of the young people? The pessimistic tone with their deaths?

2. The city, the streets, apartments, homes, shops? Authentic atmosphere? The contrast with the countryside, the mountains, the reservoir? The musical score?

3. The title and its reference to holding one's breath, drowning? As applied to each of the characters?

4. The structure of the film: the opening with the divers recovering the bodies, the indication that the young couple had died? The final car at the end - observers or, in fact, the young people who had not drowned?

5. Kamran and the swimming pool and holding his breath? His surliness at the university, dropping courses, his discussion with the professor on the steps? His vandalism with the cars, even the car his parents had bought him? His mobile phone and its being stolen? Mansur and the further vandalism on the motorbike, stealing the car? His refusing to eat, simply smoking? Surly attitudes? Travelling around with Mansur, sleeping in the back of the car, speeding when driving? Going to the motel, meeting the twins? The return there? His becoming ill, staying in, bleeding, going to the hospital, dying? A wasted life?

6. The contrast with Mansur, not so well educated, a happier view of life, participating in the vandalism, hijacking the car from the woman, eating the food in her shopping? His hunger? Care for Mansur, taking him to the motel? Giving a ride to Ada, infatuated, ringing her, going back, their outings, the discussions? His being pulled over and not having a licence? Ada coming to his rescue? His promise to meet her, Mansur ill, taking him to the hospital, keeping vigil? The return, the authorities and the car? Their going driving, the playful attitudes, the cassettes? Did they crash? Or did they observe?

7. Ada, her family background, liveliness and talk, student, the dormitory, her girlfriends? Friendship with Mansur, the phone calls, going out with him? His finding her on the mountainside? Her own home, the return? Not going to class, the letter from the university? Her waiting for Mansur and his not coming, forgiving him, their going for the ride, the playfulness, the cassettes? Their possible death?

8. The twins, deceiving people, the room, the tea, their helping Kamran?

9. The man running the hostel, his assistant, being deceived, wanting the payment before allowing Kamran to go to hospital?

10. The background of the universities, professors? Homes and parents? The woman who was hijacked, her fears, leaving her shopping behind? The police and the interrogations?

11. A portrait of contemporary Iran, disaffected youth, the reasons, their behaviour, prospects?