A SPAN OF HEAVEN

Iran, 2008, 87 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Ali Vazirian.

A Span of Heaven is a small Iranian fantasy about the Afterworld, speculating on Heaven?

The film focuses on a very poor family, begging in the streets, organised by a boss who collects the donations from the children. The father also begs in the street but his material is confiscated by the police. Desperate, the little boy prays to God that something good will happen to them. An angel appears and gives him the gift of part of Heaven, a span.

The avaricious uncle of the boy gets in on the act, tells an unscrupulous estate agent about Heaven, experiences something of what Heaven is by entering into it. A very rich businessman with his bored wife also become involved.

The film shows the greed of people trying to get their span of Heaven, paying exorbitant prices and the rich man and the estate agent exploiting them? The boy is sorry, tries to pray again, receives another span of Heaven but tries to preserve it. However, the uncle is brutal, betrays him to the estate agent – who then exploits it at the expense of the wealthy man.

Ultimately, everything is good and the boy has his span of Heaven.

It is interesting to see the criticism of the greed of the wealthy, the con tricks and exploitation by businessmen, the cruelty of families. The boy is very effective in the role and the angel is quite genial. An interesting look at some fantasy and mythology from the point of view of Islam.

1.A film for children? Adults?

2.The blend of realism and fantasy?

3.The title, Islam, issues of life and death, imagination of Heaven, angels? Answers to prayer?

4.The city, poverty, the contrast with the wealthy and their homes, offices? The streets? The musical score?

5.The visuals of Heaven, light and space? The audience gauging Heaven by the reaction of the characters?

6.The children, their selling tickets in the street, the little girl and her money stolen, in the bus, the demands of the boss, the boy paying for the little girl, their friendship?

7.The opening of the film: the dream, the wealthy man, in the maze, light, death, waking up in the car, his complaining wife? Wealthy life, the bored wife, business deals, wanting something new?

8.The family, the children, the father and his goods being confiscated by the police, home life, the mother, the brother-in-law and his bullying?

9.The boy and his prayer, the angel, the gift, his delight?

10.The visual images of the angel, the young man?

11.Heaven, the span of Heaven, the light, people discovering it, the uncle going in? His forcing the boy to part with Heaven? The agent, his business called Paradise, his assistant, the phone calls, the secretary? A conman, greedy? In partnership with the businessman, the deals? The huge range of customers wanting to buy? The secretaries and their behaviour? The queues, the profit, taking the money to the bank?

12.The boy’s father, being dominated? The boy and the girl and their friendship? The estate agent and his getting them a better house – and the later discovery that it was owned by the city? The uncle and his greed for the money?

13.The film showing double deals, cons, the wealthy man tricked by the estate agent?

14.The new span of Heaven, the uncle forcing the boy to give it up, an alternate business, the wealthy man failing?

15.The angel reappearing, the talk? The chases? The effect on the uncle, on the agent?

16.Learning lessons, greed? The value of family? Heavenly happiness?