Gabbeh (1996)

Gabbeh: Directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf. With Abbas Sayah, Shaghayeh Djodat, Hossein Moharami, Rogheih Moharami. When an old couple washes their gabbeh – a type of Persian rug – a young woman magically appears and tells them her life story.

“Is it racist to insist that this is the most beautiful film I have ever seen? I say racist, because much of what is u0026#39;merelyu0026#39; beautiful to me is part of a rich symbolic texture I couldnu0026#39;t always get; concentrating on aesthetics may seem to rob a film of its political force. That it has such force is proven by its being banned in its country of origin – Makhmalbafu0026#39;s hiding behind allegory cannot disguise his impassioned analysis of poverty, the oppressiveness of tradition or the loneliness of women in a patriarchal society. This is a film full of natureu0026#39;s marvel, yet shows how u0026#39;natureu0026#39; is often used to justify social repression – as the teacheru0026#39;s lesson demonstrates, if the creation of the gabbeh (an ornamental, narrative carpet) is art in natureu0026#39;s image, than nature (and the rules it inspires) is merely a recreation of ours.”