Last night I saw a beautiful film--"The Willow Tree." The great Persian Sufi poets Rumi and Hafiz are mentioned in it. Poetry runs throughout the film. It is in that musical language Farsi, for it is from Iran. I rented it at Box Office in Sebastopol and it may be available elsewhere. I cannot recommend it highly enough, especially as the U.S. continues to threaten Iran. The following is my morning musing on the film.
Shepherd

The Willow Tree, 2005/2008 on DVD. Iran. Directed by Academy Award nominated Majid Majidi of Children of Heaven and The Color of Paradise. In Farsi, one of the world’s most musical languages, a remnant of the Persian Empire. Its great ancient poets Rumi and Hafez are mentioned throughout this poetic film. Described by critics with the following words: beautiful, deeply moving, visionary, marvelous, astonishing, a masterpiece, exquisite, profound, soulful, and with vibrant images.

Blind since childhood, Yusef has a devoted wife, loving young daughter, caring mother, and successful work as a university professor. Excited yet scared, he travels to a Paris clinic to study his blindness. They miraculously restore his sight. Can you imagine—to see for the first time as an adult: one’s friends, spouse, child, mother, one’s self, food, a TV screen, blooming flowers? We are invited to see them with him for the first time. It could be overwhelming. He must learn to do new things, like walk with sight—such a dance. He sees himself reflected in glass—for the first time as an adult. Wonderfully slow-paced without extra words…emotional.

Iran is a character in the film—both ancient and modern. Yusef goes in the streets where he has been before, but this time with sight. Breathtaking images seen through reawakened eyes–dazzling vista of snow-blanketed hills, a shower of golden sparks in a jewelry foundry. He feels the pain of too-bright light. Finding one’s sight, one can also lose things. With every gain, there is a possible loss. With each loss, one can find benefits. As sight comes in strong, it can affect the other senses. Yusef looks at the wife who has cared for him these many years with confusion, even coldness. She begins to doubt herself. He is attracted to one of his pretty graduate students. He is confused and tempted by his newly-expanded world.

The Willow Tree is about adjusting to, adapting to, and managing a new world. It is a metaphor for a second chance in life and a powerful parable of sight, insight, and loss. It can be difficult to deal with such a powerful gift as sight.

Available at Box Office in Sebastopol, perhaps elsewhere.

Reflections the morning after seeing the film, by Shepherd Bliss, [email protected].