Beed-e majnoon (2005)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Majid Majidi

Writers:

Majid Majidi (idea)
Majid Majidi (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

3 August 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Youssef, a blind university professor, is suddenly diagnosed with a fatal disease and must undergo treatment in France. Back home, will he find the life he had before? |

Plot Keywords:

Rumi | Surgery | Hospital | Blindness

Cast

Parviz Parastui	...	Youssef
Roya Taymourian	...	Roya
Afarin Obeisi	...	Mother
Mohammad Amir Naji	...	Morteza
Melika Eslafi	...	Mariam
Leila Outadi	...	Pari
Mahmoud Behraznia	...	Mahmood
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dawlat Asadi	...	Puya
Melika Aslafi	...	Maryam
Ahmad Gavaheri	...	Cashani
Fouad Nahas	...	Dr. Roque

Also Known As:

The Willow Tree (Canada: English title) (festival title) (International: English title) (USA)
Baz ghasht (Iran: Persian title) (working title)
Weeping Willow (International: English title) (festival title)

Runtime:

USA:96 min | Canada:96 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

Iran

Language:

Persian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Mexico:A

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

Majid Majidi Film Production (I) (II)

2005 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)

I saw this at the 2005 TIFF to a packed audience.

This was an eye-opening movie in a couple ways.

Not only is this drama about a blind Iranian man who unexpectedly comes upon sight during a routine eye operation in Paris, but it opened my eyes to the value of sight in life.

The main character in this movie has been living life without sight for 38 years, so much so that we see the habits, the challenges, the braille reading, and the support his friends and family give him and which he is subtly dependent upon. Yet when this miraculous chance to see gives him, shall we say, a second chance, what does he do with it? In fact what would anyone do with it? What I liked most about this was that the challenge posed to the lead character and the choices he made were so very real with the challenges and dilemma of his choices and frustration clear. This made me consider the choices *I* have been making in life. If I were given a second chance with anything, what would *I* do with it? This was a thought-provoking movie that took me into a world I have never experienced. And while I have seen movies about blind people, this movie really seemed to capture the view of life from this particular blind man: his challenges; his decisions; and most importantly, his emotional state.

This is a smart and very real movie that was moving, thought-provoking. Visually speaking, the weaving of light with dark scenes allows the story to further come to life giving a final illumination on a story that shares, sympathizes and delivers.

This is a well-done piece of work! Congratulations!