LIKE A TALE

Iran, 2006, 85 minutes, Colour.
Directed by K. Sinaee.

Like a Tale is a short parable about war – focusing on solutions of peace.

The setting is the 1980s Iraq- Iran war, still very fresh after almost two decades in the minds of the Iranians. The hostility towards the Iraqis is still palpable.

The setting is a very remote village in the border areas and the mountains. Bombardments keep going through the film – which takes place over a period of a day and a half. The film introduces three soldiers, one wounded, the commander, being carried by the others. It also introduces Marod, a teenage boy who takes his goat out to graze every day. In the meantime, his grandfather, almost blind, stays at home while the grandmother goes to the city in a van to do shopping.

The film focuses on the three groups and then brings them together, the soldiers coming to the grandfather’s house, the grandfather forced to take them in, the young boy taken as a hostage. The film develops dramatically as the wounded commander becomes more and more obsessed, the commonsense soldier wants to kill the enemy, the man who resented the commander’s authoritarianism has compassion on the family.

There are sudden unexpected deaths, there is a friendship between the boy and one of the soldiers, there are the local police looking for the Iraqi soldiers – in the meantime the bombardments coming closer.

The differences between the two peoples are heightened because neither understands the other’s language. However, eventually, despite everything, the boy and the young soldier do become friends – even though the ending is tragic.

The film is an interesting film to emerge from Iran in 2006 especially in attitudes towards Iraq, the memories of the history – and the yearnings for peace. The casting and performances are excellent, giving a sense of realism.

1.Iraq-Iran war and the memories in Iran? Still making films after so many years?

2.Themes of war and peace, the war of the 80s, the need for peace, the similarities between the two enemies? The possibilities of understanding and communication?

3.The mountain locations, the desert, the town? The continued explosions getting closer to the house? The musical score?

4.The introduction to the three groups, the soldiers and the wounded commander, their bickering, his shellshock? Carrying him? The dangerous terrain? Morad and his being with the goats, silent and reflective? The grandparents, the house, the son gone to war, his honoured picture on the wall? The grandmother going to town, the minibus, the hot passengers, the driver talking to the grandfather? Later seeing the grandmother in the town, the arrangements for her return?

5.The soldiers, their personalities, the commander and his gruffness? The soldier who used his commonsense, pleading for the younger soldier not to be angry? The young soldier, resenting the commander? Their stances, finding the house, their attitude towards the grandfather, brutal, not understanding the language, the boy coming in, binding them? Taking their food, the young soldier wanting respect, asking them how they would want their parents to be treated? The issue of the goat, the soldier building up the tension, the commander ordering its death? The grandfather and his plunging, the shootings? The pathos of the deaths?

6.Morad, his age, experience, not being able to read well, his father at the war? With the goats, coming into the house, being tied, fears, not communicating, getting the candles, the lantern burning the floor? His witnessing the deaths? His reaction to the soldier, angry at the goat’s death, being persuaded to eat, the bonds growing, the target practice with the Coca- Cola bottles? The safety catch on? The possibility of shooting the soldier? The soldier explaining the gun? His saving the soldier?

7.The locals, the man on the donkey, coming to the cemetery? The authorities arriving, Morad and his putting them off? Helping the soldier hide? The return of the authorities, again Morad helping?

8.The soldier, ordinary, respectful of life, only eating after the goat was dead? His sleeping, the possibility of Morad shooting him? Helping Morad with the gun? Hiding from the authorities? Hiding in the marsh – and his drowning?

9.The final images of the boy and his lamenting the death of the soldier? His grandmother’s return? Her concern about the house? The futility of war in terms of human suffering?