A simple and realistic depiction of struggle of a man, the sole bread winner of his family, who loses his job on a ostrich farm in Iran., yet lives on hope. Karim (Reza naji ) goes back to home only to find a misfortune, his eldest daughter Haniyeha ( Shabhnam Akhalagi ) has dropped her hearing aid in a pond, which is found, but broken. For that thing he has to visit Tehran. The visit to a city starts an altogether new journey for pastoral Karim. The hustle bustle of city mistakes him for a two wheeler driver who drives passengers from one place to another. That gets him a temporary job and a passion to bring every disposed item and junk to home on his motor cycle.
Iranian film maker manages to show us the busy lives of the city dwellers and its effect on a simple villager. The exposure to the capitalist world brings a change in his character, though gradually. There are incidents that happens with Karim in the city, when a passenger refuses to pay him and instead call him thief, and when another man does not pay him instead use his services. The exploitation of the weak is present in every society and the subjugation makes him self-centred in his approach. The change is so much so that once he gets so annoyed on knowing that his wife has given a battered door to their neighbour. In a fit of anger he goes there and brings back the door, mind you, the same man who shared egg curry with his neighbours.
Direction is just wonderful and something to learn from. The acting is natural, I would say no camouflaging of events. After watching it I have some really poignant episodes from the film that has remained with me. When Karim meets with an accident, we feel his helplessness and pain, lying intact on the bed and incapable of doing anything for his family. The mother sews extra to meet the expenses and to nurture the dream of their son Hussein ( Ahmed Aghazi ) to buy the goldfish. The scene of all the siblings fighting for a spot to sketch on their father's plastered foot is innocent and cute. The accident brings back the old Karim who has a hope to live and give wings to his son's dream to raise the goldfish.
The antenna episode proves nostalgic for me, in winters when we visited our village (cable was un accessible) my father used to adjust it the same way and we( all my cousins), like the boy used to jump with joy when the reception would come.
Director Majid Majhidi takes us to the journey of a man, losing his faith and regaining it and the protagonist justifies it. The scenes shot of in the village is just beautiful, allowing us to peep inside the culture and people of Iran. The community love is there, family values, friendship, love and commitment, infact Karim and his wife Narghes shares really a romantic relationship.
Talking about the title, it may suggest that sparrows never stop singing and we should take it as a lesson. The scene where a sparrow enters the room and Karim shows his generosity to set him free to fly and thus his son's dream. That’s life, its not the same for everyone but we can try to have the best of it. When the bucket containing fish is cracked, the tears in the eyes of children tells it all . The dream to become a millionaire lies their cold and dead, but the man does not give up. He sings to them in pain and remembers the good times gone by. It’s so encouraging.
THE WORLD IS A DREAM..
THE WORLD IS A LIE….
P.S. Do not miss the movie and show it to your children also. It’s worth it!!
