The Silence (1998) Sokout (original title)

Director:

Mohsen Makhmalbaf

Writer:

Mohsen Makhmalbaf (writer)

Release Date:

9 September 1998 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Village | Girl | Musician | Tajikistan | Boy

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

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

Directed by
Mohsen Makhmalbaf

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Mohsen Makhmalbaf		writer

Produced by
Marin Karmitz	....	producer

Cinematography by
Ebrahim Ghafori

Film Editing by
Mohsen Makhmalbaf

Production Management
Mohamad Ahmadi	....	executive manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Samira Makhmalbaf	....	assistant director

Art Department
Mohsen Makhmalbaf	....	set designer

Sound Department
Behroz Shahamat	....	sound

Other crew
Hana Makhmalbaf	....	script supervisor
Marzieh Makhmalbaf	....	assistant to director (as Marzieh Meshkini)
Akbar Meshkini	....	assistant to director

Production Companies

• Makhmalbaf Productions
• MK2 Productions

Distributors

• Albatros Film
• Alta Films (Spain)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• New Yorker Films (1999) (USA) (subtitled)
• Primer Plano Film Group (Argentina)

Also Known As:

"Sokout" - Iran (original title)

Runtime:

76 min

Country:

Iran | Tajikistan | France

Language:

Persian | Tajik | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | France:U | Singapore:PG | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Finland:K-18

Filming Locations:

Tajikistan

Company:

Makhmalbaf Productions

Movie Connections:

Followed by The Gardener (2013)

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.