A Cube of Sugar (یک حبه قند)

A CUBE OF SUGAR

Reza Mir-Karimi - Shadmehr Rastin

Based on a Sketch by Reza Mir-Karimi -- Shadmehr Rastin

Lesson twenty-eight.

Say "Hi" instead of "Hello"...

...in informal conversations.

She asked what the matter was...

...and what was wrong.

I'm afraid I don't understand.

I'm not bad.

How did they make Pasand agree with this?

I was not worried about Pasand at all. She always listens to others.

I don't know what made my uncle change his mind.

Mother knows how to talk him into something.

Mom?!

I'm coming.

What are you doing there, Ali? Don't! Don't!

- Ali! - Hi.

How are you, auntie?

- Hi. - Where are you going?

Why did you take your clothes off? Didn't you learn your lesson last year?

- Hi. - I have missed you.

- You have lost weight. - Shush!

What are you doing? Don't you..

Why isn't it right? Do you expect me to cry or something?

It's not like we are mourning or anything. She is getting married, for God's sake!

See? You said we were late, but we got here first.

Could we be your bridesmaids, ma'am?!

- Oh, God! Look at them! - This isn't her.

- She will be the next bride. - Don't you laugh at us!

We had a flat tire.

Otherwise we would get here sooner than you.

- Hold the baby. - No need.

Get the luggage and the blanket from the car.

- Hello! - Come in, Hajj Naser!

- Did you have a good pilgrimage? - Hi, Mother.

Thank you.

- I hope we could go together next time. - You are late again, Hajji!

Were you driving in top gear again?

You could break down your car engine, man.

- Hi. - Sister Marzieh!

- Come on. - Hi, honey.

- Hi. - I have missed you a lot.

- Hi. - Hi.

What's the matter?

Nothing. Please go get your mother.

Why? Don't you want to come in?

I will come in later. I don't want your grandma to find out.

Ok.

Instead of taking care of me, he just hurts me.

You shouldn't cry in front of the children.

I'll show him.

Go get some sugar-cubes from auntie, sweetie.

- He always yells at me. - Go now! Good girl!

They make him do it. He hurts me all the time.

He even shaved his hair on the wedding day.

I know why he's doing this. He wants to make me mad.

- Hello. - Hajj Naser!

- Excuse me. - Hi, Mahnaz.

- Hi. - I didn't see Hamid here.

- He'll come later. - Look at Marzieh!

- You are almost as tall as your mother. - Thanks.

Wow! Look at the food. It smells great.

- What's the problem? - I can't find my cell-phone.

- Maybe you left it at home. - No, I had it in the car.

- Maybe it's still in the car. - I already looked.

It wasn't there. Isn't it back there?

It must be somewhere around here. Don't worry, you'll find it.

It isn't here.

Producer and Director Reza Mir-Karimi

- Is my uncle alright? - Just do the dishes.

Who came? Was it Mahnaz?

Yeah. She's at the kitchen.

- So? - Nothing.

Look at all these sugar-cubes.

Your husband is a very accurate man, auntie.

- They're all the same size! - Her hearing-device isn't working.

She can't hear you. That's Azam's husband.

- Did you enjoy your pilgrimage? - It's not him.

Shamsi lives in Qom.

Shamsi promised she'd take her to pilgrimage.

You naughty!

You remember things that benefit you only.

- Listen! - Masoumeh called last night.

Would you like some tea?

She said she'd come tomorrow, because of Masoud's exams.

I think it's because of Naser. You should give Hormoz a call.

How dare Hormoz? He could call.

- I'll make him come. - Here you are.

- I just made tea. - Thank you.

Why does your brother look so upset, by the way?

- You said he was fine with it. - He is.

He's been breaking the sugarloaves since yesterday.

- Pasand! - Yes?

Don't touch his things. He'll be mad.

Come on! I need some practice for tonight.

Would you like to have a daughter or a son?

If I break it with two strikes, she'll have a daughter.

That's true you have good son-in-laws.

But she's gonna need a son in such a faraway place.

Look how they compliment themselves!

Give it to me. Just watch and learn how I'll break it.

Auntie! He went to Karbala.

But he not only hasn't brought us anything, but also he hasn't changed at all.

But he not only hasn't brought us anything, but also he hasn't changed at all.

- Left or right? Which one? - Come on, you smarty-pants!

You should take it with your left hand. Even Ali could do it with his right hand.

You can't do it. Look what you did!

She'll have a son. He'll be a bit small, actually!

Remember, auntie?

He broke a sugarloaf for Hamid and me too and we only have daughters.

Look at the mother and daughter speaking alone.

Where have those been all along?

If you make a mess breaking the sugarloaf tonight, we'll show you. Using these!

You don't need a gun to make me obey you, darling.

I can't believe that your uncle agreed to put them up on the wall.

- I guess he really likes the guy. - I want to put it somewhere too.

- Let me... - How I love you!

You want to show off to the neighbors, don't you?

Of course not. This isn't any of their business.

- Yes, it is. - There!

It looks great!

I take responsibility for that.

Naser! Naser!

- Hi. - Hi.

- Let me kiss your hand. - No need.

My hands are wet.

People used to go to pilgrimage with horses and donkeys...

- How are you? - You should take care of the stew, Jafar.

We have a lot to do.

Why don't you ever ask Hajji to do anything?

Wish you were there with us.

I prayed for you at Imam Ali's holy shrine.

How long did it take you to get there?

We took off at noon and the next day in midnight, we were...

- Two days it was. - Yes, two days.

We bought you this from Karbala.

We wanted to put off the pilgrimage to some other time...

...when we have more money but it was getting late...

...as we had taken a vow to go there after our children were born.

- We got this from Najaf. - From the same man you told us about.

- No, that's not true. - It is.

That man is dead, we got this from his son.

- It wasn't his son. - Mom!

I am tall enough to walk in the pool now. I won't drown again!

- I swear it's true. - Ok.

- Go dry your body. - Pasand!

Pasand!

It's from them.

Look at that!

Look at that!

That's too bad to have a rich brother-in-law!

- Bravo, Jafar! - You should pick it up.

Poor he!

You can't leave a long distance call unanswered.

- The color looks great on you, mom. - The waist is too tight, honey.

- I am too old to wear this. - I don't know about you.

But my mom is still very young. Look at her!

- She's standing right here. - Auntie!

- Yes, honey? - Isn't your husband abroad?

- Yes, he is. - Is Karbala abroad too?

- It is, honey. - I told you!

You shouldn't take all your pictures with you.

Your luggage will be just heavy.

Let me put this here.

Everything I did, I did for your happiness.

I love you.

Your late dad would be happy too, if he were here.

Mom! Mom!

Auntie! Auntie!

Masoum shouldn't listen to everything her husband says.

She should have come.

They need to be here when we are breaking the sugarloaf.

Look! They have a lot of guests.

Since Hormoz went to jail he's been acting even worse.

He's been like this, since I can remember.

That's why his first wife left him.

- Who? - Poor Masoumeh!

- She didn't want him to quit his job. - He didn't quit.

- They fired him. - No, sister...

Mom! Ali went by the pool.

- You can go to him too. - Auntie! Auntie!

Can I see your cell-phone?

- It's in the room, honey. - So, Pasand!

- What was the groom telling you? - Yeah...

- Tell us what he said. - Nothing.

Just things, you know!

Wait!

What things?! It's ok.

The groom doesn't speak Farsi well.

"I have been in love with you since I were a child, Mademoiselle Pasand!"

"Now let me have a kiss, if you don't mind!”

"Now let me have a kiss, if you don't mind!”

How I love her! She doesn't talk at all.

She is very shy. Look at her!

It won't remain the same.

When she sees how marriage life really is...

...she will both wear beautiful clothes and learn to argue.

- She will change. - That poor guy!

Don't say that, sister. It is hard to live away from your country.