Thursday, 23 October 2014 00:00 |
"Cube of sugar" will be shown at the special event Islamic cinema in Bishkek
Iranian cinema has given us so many great films including those made by Abbas Kiarostami, and last year's fantastic A SEPARATION by Asghar Farhadi that expectations are always raised when you come across another Iranian contribution. Thankfully, Seyyed Reza Mir-Karimi's finely crafted A CUBE OF SUGAR can stand proudly in such illustrious company.
The basic framework of the story is very simple; an extended Iranian family gathers in preparation for a family wedding. Within this structure, however, there is a tightly interwoven network of individual stories. The plot is so carefully constructed, and the characters so well portrayed, that the mini dramas played out in this family gathering are enthralling. The film deftly interweaves many storylines, while taking the time to observe those tiny but emotionally momentous incidents; a silent exchange between an old married couple; an excited child finding that he has grown slightly taller; the patriarch of the family telling a child an enchanting story.
As with A SEPARATION, this film gives us a view of everyday life in modern Iran that is vastly different to that conjured up by television news reports. In A CUBE OF SUGAR you get to see a more humane and rounded view of this society. It provides a vivid and moving portrait of family life; the humor and infectious laughter, the troubled relationships, the moments of tenderness and contemplation, sadness and loss. Like all good cinema, it is both universal and particular; a delightful, engaging, and insightful film.
|