ROBIN

Iran, 2007, 80 minutes, Colour.
Directed by P. Sheikh- Tadi.

Robin is an extraordinary story to come from Iran. It is an interfaith story.

The film portrays a remote mountain village, mountain village, the villagers going about their ordinary way of life – although taking recreation in a struggle between bulls locking horns and crowds urging them on in their fight. However, the focus is on the boys of the village.

One of the boys is persecuted by the others – suggested in surreal-like pursuit which audiences might imagine is a dream but is a boy disguised as a scarecrow. In the background of the village is the religious co-existence of Christianity and Islam. The priest brings a huge crucifix to adorn his church, very proud of it, and the crowds gather to watch. In the meantime, the imam gives advice in the village and the custodian of the Islamic shrine laments that there are not more relics.

The focus of the film is on the death of one of the boys, the tormented boy wants to frighten him and he falls from his donkey and falls down the mountainside to his death. The frightened boy gets his friend who is a Christian to take the cross because he had understood that the breath of Jesus could bring people back to life. The second half of the film is about the carrying of the cross down to the river by the two boys as well as going to the Islamic shrine and taking one of the relics, a helmet with green cloth attached.

There is a lot of discussion about Jesus as Son of God, his death by wicked people, the possibilities of miracles, the nature of life after death. The priest has his views. The imam gives his advice to the boys.

The film ends with the miracle – coming through the clouds and down into the valley a huge sigh that is the breath of Jesus bringing the boy back to life.

The film is very interesting in terms of interfaith collaboration especially in Iran. The 1999 film Son of Mariam is another example of peaceful co-existence between Catholics and Muslims.

1.The interest of the film in religious themes? In the context of Iran?

2.The title, the robin and its being set free, the release of the soul, the robin as a symbol? The other birds in the film?

3.The authentic feel of the village, the boys playing, the bullfights and the crowds, the imam and his position, the church, the shrine? Families and tensions?

4.The surreal introduction, the little boy pursued, his fears, the scarecrow? Discovering the boys at play? Their taunting each other, especially the frightened boy?

5.The religious themes, Christians and Muslims, co-existence, the church, the shrine, the difference of beliefs? The interchange? The tradition of the Bible, the Koran? The place of belief in Jesus?

6.The symbol of the cross, the film giving a great deal of attention to the image on the cross, detail? The cross as an icon? Symbol? The suffering of Jesus? The priest, his arrival like a pilgrim with the cross, going into the church, the crowds, his explanation, unveiling the cross, not allowing the man with the bad breath to kiss it, sending him out of the church? The reaction of the people? Hanging the crucifix in the church?

7.The shrine, the comparisons, the relics in the shrine, the caretaker complaining that it was not as well endowed as the church? The imam, at the bullfight, his position, riding the bike, with people, discussing life after death with the boys? His collaboration with the priest, especially in the search?

8.The young boy and his fear, within the group, playing, frightened, the deaf boy and his eccentricities? His preparing the balloon to frighten the boy? Launching it, the boy falling from the donkey, down the mountainside, trying to save him, the dead boy, hiding the body from the wolves?

9.The effect on the boy, saying he had made a mistake, hiding? The reaction of the village? The donkey arriving empty, the mother and her concern, the father, the search? The mother’s grief?

10.The boy going to his Christian friend? The belief in the breath of Jesus? Miracles and prayer? Their discussions, Jesus as Son of God, wicked people killing him for no reason? The two faiths and traditions? The nature of death and coming alive again? The resurrection from the dead and the view of the imam?

11.The decision to take the cross, the intricate process, it seeming to drop? Whether it was a sin or not? The boy frightened of his father? Carrying the cross and its effect, the long trek, heavy, stumbling? Their discussions? The cross falling down the mountainside like the boy? Into the river, retrieving it? Their going to the shrine, the boy not wanting to take anything, feeling it was a sin, his being dared? His taking the helmet and the cloth? Dropping these relics? Finding them in the water?

12.The Christian father and his anger at the news of his son taking the cross, the search on horseback, finding his son after the boy hiding, giving him a whipping?

13.The priest and the imam and their reactions, sharing the search?

14.The mother, standing on the hill in grief, her decision to shoot the donkey – unable to?

15.The young boy lying beside the dead boy, with the cross? The image of the breath of Jesus, the motion of the camera through the clouds and down the valley? The sound of the breath? The little boy coming alive, the mere suggestion with his fingers moving, opening his eyes? The two boys lying together as the final image?

16.The importance of the icon of the cross and the meaning it was given throughout the film? Miracles and faith?