Gabbeh (1996)
Directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Genres - Drama, Romance, Mystery |
Sub-Genres - Romantic Drama, Family Drama |
Release Date - Jun 25, 1997 (USA - Limited) |
Run Time - 75 min. |
Countries - France, Iran |
MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Jason Ankeny
Mohsen Makhmalbaf's Gabbeh is just the second Iranian film ever widely distributed in the U.S. (Jafar Panahi's The White Balloon was the first). A gabbeh is an Iranian carpet produced by the nomadic Ghashghai tribe of southern Iran, comparable to the folk art of American quilts; in the film's opening scenes, an elderly husband and wife travel to a nearby stream to wash their gabbeh, discussing the meaning behind the figures sewn upon it. The rug depicts a woman in blue and a man in red, together on a white horse; suddenly, the woman on the tapestry seems to come to life -- her name too is Gabbeh, and the blue dress she wears is identical to the one worn by the old wife. She proceeds to tell her tragic story: it seems that despite her love for a mysterious stranger on horseback who follows her nomadic family wherever they travel, Gabbeh's father refuses to allow her to marry until a series of stipulations have first been met. Makhmalbaf frames his episodic tale with interludes on the colors of nature.
Characteristics
Moods
Themes
Keywords
forbidden-love, love, nomad, fairy-tale-romance, family-disapproval, artifact, father, stranger, daughter
Attributes
High Artistic Quality, High Historical Importance