The Silence (1998)
"Sokout" (original title)

Everyday, 10-year old Khorsid takes the bus to his work at an instrument maker's shop and everyday something unexpected happens.

Director:

Mohsen Makhmalbaf

Writer:

Mohsen Makhmalbaf

Stars:

Tahmineh Normatova, Nadereh Abdelahyeva, Goibibi Ziadolahyeva

3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Tahmineh Normatova	...	Khorshid
Nadereh Abdelahyeva	...	Nadareh
Goibibi Ziadolahyeva	...	Khorshid's Mother
Araz M. Shirmohamadi

Storyline

Because of his special gift in identifying objects by the sounds they make, a blind young boy is employed as a string instrument tuner in a small village in Tajikistan. He may be blind but that does not mean he cannot see. On his way to work, he could tell the quality of the bread the young girls along the streets are peddling by simply touching their ware. His world is made more colorful and quaint because of his sensitivity to his surroundings. The only problem is that he is easily "tempted" by street musicians' performances and arrives late at work.

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Plot Keywords:

village | girl | musician | tajikistan | boy | 

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Genres:

Drama | Music

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Details

Country:

Iran Tajikistan France

Language:

Persian Tajik Russian

Release Date:

9 September 1998 (France)

Also Known As:

El silencio

Filming Locations:

Tajikistan

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$4,672 (USA) (12 November 1999)

Gross:

$32,898 (USA) (14 July 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Makhmalbaf Productions, MK2 Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

76 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Followed by The Gardener (2013)

User Reviews

such an invigorating Beethoven denouement.

"The Silence" is not an ordinary movie even though it looks simple. It is the story of a blind boy Hursit who is trying to make both his and mother's living by tuning instruments in local traditional instrument shop.His father has apparently left his family to Russia and Hursit and the mother is having a hard time because they can't pay the rent and they are faced with the dancer of being thrown to the street. The movie uses Beethoven's 5th Symphony in the final scene. The scenery of bazaars,the local imagery of an Eastern town,the local instrument builders and vendors add so much to the atmosphere to the movie. And a little note for those who have just recognized the Iranian movie..Before the Islamic revolution in Iran, the director of the movie was a political activist and because of that he was jailed for more than 4 years, and was let out of jail only after the revolution. After the revolution he abandoned politics, because he had believed that the chief problem in Iran was the cultural one. The movie was also banned in Iran.If you like simple real stories about real life I suggest you see the movie.