KARACHI, Feb 5: The transcendent beauty of Kamal Tabrizi’s 2005 motion picture Yek Teke Nan (A Piece of Bread) is a far cry from the nuclear brinkmanship and fire-breathing clerics that are often the only motifs used to describe Iran in the western media. With its probing questions about the nature of spirituality and ravishing cinematography, the film leaves the viewer trapped in its world of subtle beauty till long after the end credits have rolled.

The film was shown on Tuesday as part of the ongoing Iranian Film Festival, which ends on Wednesday, Feb 6, at the Karachi Arts Council’s Manzar Akbar Hall. The festival has been organized by the Khana-i-Farhang – the Iranian Cultural Centre – to celebrate the 29th anniversary of the establishment of the Islamic Republic.

Tabrizi received worldwide acclaim with his 2004 film Marmoulak (The Lizard) which, interestingly, also dealt with religion, as it told the story of an escaped convict posing as a preacher, and the ensuing shenanigans. Yek Teke Nan is a much more metaphysical, abstract film, which explores several themes, the foremost of which is finding the path to God.

Set in the rural Iranian heartland, with majestic mountains and lush, verdant forests serving as the backdrop, the film starts off on an unhurried note and slowly builds up, though its pace is beautifully maintained throughout.

It is a spiritual journey from start to finish, using both literary references in the dialogue as well as the visual narrative to communicate this journey.

News has spread in the region that a miracle has occurred in a local village, where an illiterate woman has supposedly learnt to recite the Holy Qur’an by heart almost overnight, supposedly after visiting an area shrine.

Most of the locals are in thrall and make a beeline, bringing their sick and infirm in the hopes of a miraculous cure, to meet the woman, while there are sceptics as well. Central to the story is a misfit young soldier (brilliantly played by Esmaeel Khalaj, if the Farsi credits were not lost in translation), accompanying his sergeant-major.

Though he is often treated as a simpleton, his spiritual awakening becomes the vehicle that carries the narrative forward, as he finds himself among those, accompanied by a religious elder (played by veteran Iranian actor Reza Kianian), heading for the shrine. But where he ultimately ends up is truly a surprise, cleverly worked in by the director and writer.

As with all art, multiple meanings can be drawn from Yek Teke Nan. But from this viewer’s perspective, the film marvellously portrayed the inward awakening that draws one closer to the divine presence, though external appearances may confuse others.

Splendidly shot, well-written, and effortlessly acted out by the performers, the film is yet another proof of what all the buzz regarding Iranian cinema is about. It was a shame only a handful of people showed up for the experience.—QAM