Fridae

Iranian cinema may have long ceased to be the flavour of the film festival circuit, but that does not mean its filmmakers are producing sub-standard work. On the contrary, this latest film by Majid Majidi (The Color of Paradise) proves that the Iranians are still making some of the most profound dramas one can find in the multiplex.

Brought to you by gay-friendly distribution house Festive Films, The Willow Tree is a complex meditation on life, hope and illusions.

Parvis Parastui plays a blind academic named Youssef who lectures on poetry in the university of Tehran. When an operation unexpected restores his eyesight, Youssef is ecstatic about being able to see again. However, his newfound sight gives rise to unexpected consequences. Whereas being blind helped him imagine that the world he lived in was full of wonder and beauty, being able to see makes him bear witness to all the ugliness life really offers.

For the first time, he is able to observe evil and drudgery with his naked eyes, and he even becomes contemptuous of aged wife's devotion � preferring the beauty of younger women who ignore him. He loathes his own wrinkled face, and begins to regret the missed opportunities of his youth...

Youssef is like Adam who has fallen from Paradise and must experience what it is like to be human and fallible. Although overt metaphors and sentimentality abound in this semi-religious parable, it is still nuanced enough to enjoy and admire. Hollywood may know how to make slick, big-budget, professional-looking productions. But when it comes to simple yet philosophical filmmaking, the Iranians still have a few tricks up their sleeves.