The Song of Sparrows (‏Avaze gonjeshk-ha)

In the name of God

The Organization of Art and Better Living

Majid Majidi

and The Art and Cultural City of Tehran

present:

THE SONG OF SPARROWS

Cast:

Reza Naji

Maryam Akbari Kamran Dehghan

Hamed Aghazi, Shabnam Akhlaghi Neshat Nazari

Written by: Majid Majidi Mehran Kashani

Stage Manager: Ranbar Rahidi Photography: Ali Tabrizi

First Assistant Director: Sirrus Hassanpur

First Camera Assistant: Mahmad Abraheemyan

Produced by: Kamran Majidi

Special Effects: Mohsen Ruzbahai

Computer Effects:

Amir Saharghiz... Kamran Saharghiz

Make-Up: Saeed Malekan

Costume and Production Designer: Asghar Nejad-Imani

Sound Recordist: Yadollah Najafi

Sound Mix: Mohammad Reza Delpak

Music: Hussein Alizadeh

Editor: Hassan Hassandoost

Director of Photography: Touraj Mansouri

Executive Producer: Javad Norouzbeigi

Director and Producer: Majid Majidi

Come, come here and eat this.

Here, pretty birds. Eat this.

Come here. Eat this.

Come here, pretty birds. Eat this.

Come, come.

Come here. Eat this.

Come eat.

Come.

Come here and eat, my beauties.

Don't make so much noise, boy.

Why do you bother so much?

Eat your food.

Come, come. Come, my beauties.

Karim!

- Karim! - What is it?

- Come here! - What is it, Abbas?

Come here, Karim!

- Hello. How are you? - Okay.

I saw your wife on the way here. She told me to tell you to go home.

Has something happened?

No. Your daughter's thing fell into the water storage, and it's lost.

Hearing aid.

The kids were playing, and she lost it.

They looked but couldn't find it.

Anything else?

No. She just wants you to go home.

What are you doing? You broke it!

Hold on!

- Hello. How are you? - Good.

Hello. Hello.

Hello. What's going on?

Haniyeh's hearing aid fell in, and we can't find it, Dad.

Haniyeh, where did it fall?

I wanted to help, and it fell off.

- Where's your mother? - At home.

Go home. I'll find it for you.

You go, as well. Everyone get out of here.

Hussein, what are you doing here?

I'm looking for Haniyeh's hearing aid.

Why were you here in the first place?

Mr. Karim, they told us there are fish here.

I don't know if it's true or not.

Like hell there are fish here!

As soon as I get down there, I'm going to beat you.

You spoiled brats!

What's in the water storage?

Hold the ladder!

Don't you have any brains?

Fish live in clean water, not sludge!

Even if there were fish, what do you need them for?

Come here, boy.

Come here!

- Where did the hearing aid fall? - Somewhere around here.

I know it's around here. Show me the exact spot.

- Near the ladder. - Let's find it.

Find it.

Did you give any thought to all the bacteria and trash in this water?

Mr. Karim, they said if we throw fish in here,

they'll double in a month.

Fish will double in clean water, not in dirty water.

Mr. Karim, are there any snakes?

You can find all kinds of animals, just like you, but not snakes.

Mr. Karim, after we clean it, we'll throw goldfish in,

and when they multiply, we'll sell them and become millionaires.

Millionaires!

This storage is blocked.

It will take years for the sludge to dry.

We'll empty it with the other kids. We'll clean it up.

Instead of cleaning, you need to drain it,

so we can find the hearing aid.

You can keep the fish.

Mr. Karim! A snake! A snake!

A snake!

Where? Where?

Over there!

I found it.

Take these and go home.

I'm coming.

Easy.

Be careful.

Kids who don't listen waste their parents' time.

Be careful.

Come here. Hurry. Where are you going?

- Did you find my hearing aid? - Yes.

Can't you see? Your sister made a mess of things.

- Mom, should I pour? - A little bit.

What do you expect?

They've made me miserable since morning.

- Did you find the hearing aid? - Yes. I don't know if it works.

It's not working. I don't know if it can be repaired.

You can't in a thousand years clean that place.

We'll clean it.

Then, when we fill it with water, we can put 100,000 fish in it.

Do you know how much 100,000 fish are?

Well, it's 100,000 fish.

Then what?

We'll sell them and become millionaires.

Millionaires, yeah, right!

Put this in your ear, my girl.

Can you hear me now?

Yes.

Don't read my lips. Stand up.

Go over there.

Go on.

Stop.

Can you hear me now?

Can you hear me now?

Yes.

Move back... back.

Back... back.

Stop.

Now turn around.

Where was the hearing aid?

Where was the hearing aid?

- You rascal! - Mom!

Get back here!

Come here, you rascal!

Get him!

What's all this noise?

Why are you fighting with him? The neighbors will hear!

Don't you see? Haniyeh can't hear!

Go. Go in.

I think it's broken.

It can't be fixed?

She needs her hearing aid.

Her exams start in a few days.

You'll have to go to Tehran. I'll give you the address.

Maybe they can do something.

- Are you insured? - No.

It will be very costly.

Karim, what are you thinking about? What's wrong?

Nothing.

Here. Come, take it.

Come, come.

Now look at it.

No, it's still bad.

I'm going over there to try it.

Now look at it.

No, it's worse.

It can't be repaired. It's ruined.

That's good!

That's good!

Don't move!

I can't hold this all day!

I can't stand here all day long!

Please, just one more minute.

Be careful, Karim.

Don't worry.

Narges.

- Narges... - The reception is bad!

How is it now?

It's good. It's good. Don't touch it.

- Watch as long as you like. - It's great.

What do you want?

Narges, this roof is great on summer nights.

And?

We could sleep here and let the kids watch TV downstairs.

Okay?

Your button is falling off.

Wait.

Throw it down.

Take it.

Ramezan, when is the boss coming?

In an hour.

What do you need?

I need an advance.

He gave you an advance 10 days ago.

Ramezan, you know my daughter is deaf.

Her hearing aid isn't working, and I have to buy a new one.

- Mr. Karim! - What is it? I'm coming!

Should we move the ostriches?

Please let me know when the boss arrives.

- Okay. - I'm coming.