THE COLOR OF PARADISE
Iran, 2000, 85 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Majid Majidi.
The Color of Paradise is one of many fine Iranian films that focus on the lives of children. It was directed by Majid Majidi, the director of Children of Heaven, a wonderful film about a family in Teheran and the loss of shoes and the consequences for the children trying to find them. Majidi also made the film about a blind man who temporarily recovers his sight, The Weeping Willow.
The Color of Paradise is a blind boy from the country, his life at school in Teheran, his waiting for his father to come to take him on holidays. The film also shows the wariness and reluctance of the father to acknowledge his blind son. When he returns home, he is welcomed by his family, especially his grandmother.
The film has a fine sensitivity to family life in Iran, relationship between the generations, the dominance of the hardworking male and his inability to relate emotionally. The film ends tragically – bringing to a conclusion a strongly emotional experience.
1. The Iranian film industry in the 20th century? Prestige? Dramatisation of values? The settings in the city? The Iranian countryside?
2. The contemporary setting, the contemporary city, the school, the roads? The countryside, the valley and its beauty? The musical score?
3. The title, the colour of God and Paradise? Its meaning? The Islamic background of the film?
4. The focus on the boy, in his, his age, blind? The other children in the school? The records and their identifying things? The end of term, packing up, the holidays? The teacher, the father being late? The mobile phone? The boy waiting, being hurt? His needs?
5. The father, the phone call, the bus? His watching his son? His pleading to the officials to take him? Hugging his son? The reasons for his not wanting to take his son home?
6. The journey, father and son, the bus? The descriptions? Walking, the horse? The reuniting with his family, his sisters, wanting to see his grandmother? The joy of the return home?
7. The family, his place in the family? His being helped? The zest, the presence? Out in the fields? The colours? His relating to each member of the family? His ability to read braille?
8. His father deciding that he should be an apprentice, the negotiations with the blind carpenter? His work with the carpenter, the precision? Yet his wanting to go home?
9. The portrait of the family, the father, the dead wife, the new marriage proposal? The reaction of his mother? The clash between the two, her accusations, his defending himself? The son and his being desperate? The father and his going courting, buying the bangle, the gifts? Proposing, the tea ceremony, blowing on his tea in the saucer? The woman having difficulty in finding a husband? The striking of a bargain?
10. The work, the building and repairs, the house? The flowers? The dye and the paint?
11. The father travelling with his boy, bringing him home, the horse, the bridge, its rearing, the boy falling into the river? His father spellbound, watching? Did he want him to die? Pursuing him? The boy going down the river? The seaside, the beach, the dead boy, the father with his son, the light and the finger?
12. The re-creation of the world of the blind? Joy and happiness? Limits? Others and their ability or inability to cope? The significance of the title in relation to the blind boy, the colour of God?
