Gabbeh (گبه)

A COPRODUCTION

BY SANAYE DASTI OF IRAN AND MK2 PRODUCTIONS

GABBEH

A FILM BY MOHSEN MAKHMALBAF

ABBAS SAYAHI, SHAGHAYEGH DJODAT

HOSSEIN MOHARAMI, ROGHEIH MOHARAMI

PARVANEH GHALANDARI

MOJTABA MIRTAHMASEBI

ABBAS RASTEGARPOUR

AND BEHROOZ SHAHAMAT

SHAHRIAR ASADI, BEHZAD DORANI

B. AZIMPOUR, A. ALAGHEBAND

MOSTAFA MIRZAKHANI

KHALIL DAROUDCHI

AND KHALIL MAHMOUDI

MOHAMAD AHMADI

HOSSEIN ALIZADEH

MAHMOUD KALARI

You were moaning last night, saying your feet hurt.

You couldn't sleep.

Let me wash the gabbeh.

Let me do it. I've got boots on.

Pass me the boots.

No, there's no need.

I'll do it. You get the food ready. I'll wash the gabbeh.

Let me do it.

No, you've got sore feet.

Give me the boots.

No, I won't give them to you.

You see to the food. I'll see to the gabbeh.

I'm not a woman who serves in the kitchen!

Will you let me wash it or won't you?

Little darling, precious darling,

if you don't wash it, who will?

My precious gabbeh, beautiful gabbeh,

how pretty you are!

Why have you turned blue?

Who is this horseman who is carrying off this girl?

Tell me who wove you.

You are like the full moon!

What is your name?

Gabbeh.

The water is so clear.

Won't you wash me?

Of course we want to wash you.

May I lean on your young shoulders?

I have no more strength.

Of course you can.

You look familiar. What's your father's name?

His name is Weave...

Weave of the wool. There he is.

There's Father.

We are of the Ghashghai tribe.

We never stay in the same place long.

But if we do, our father forces us to leave.

One day, I fell in love with a horseman.

He had a strange voice, as if he were but an illusion.

He followed our tribe like a shadow to take me away...

Were I younger, I would ask for your hand.

I think your father

is a kind man.

Appearances can be deceptive. He has a wicked temper.

So much for your father. What about your mother?

Is she kind and fair?

No, in our family, we say my father's bad temper

is due to my mother's ugliness.

There she is.

My mother's name is Sakineh.

I am the eldest daughter.

Pass me the boots so I can wash the gabbeh.

Your feet are sore. They'll feel worse if you get them wet.

I'll Wash it.

See how beautiful she is.

I am filled with wonder.

As soon as he sees you, he forgets me.

Miss Gabbeh, she is jealous of herself.

Little girl, you who are so fair,

do you not have a suitor?

You were my suitor

when you were younger.

How foolish I was!

See how he breaks my heart!

Do you not have a suitor?

Why does his voice sound like a wolf's?

It's a secret between him and me.

He says: "I can't bear it. Why don't you come?"

Do you love him?

Why don't you run away with him?

Because of my father. He'd kill me.

If he had done so, I would be free.

He calls. Should I go?

Don't go or your father will kill you.

Talk to him about it first.

Grandma's ill.

When Uncle returns he'll take her to a doctor.

Father said I could only marry when my uncle comes back from town.

But my suitor is becoming impatient.

- One times five? - Five.

- Two times five? - Ten.

- Three times five? - Fifteen.

- Four times five? - Twenty.

- Five times five? - Twenty-five.

Remain seated.

Stand up.

May I?

- What is your name? - Mohsen Jahanpour.

- And you? - Tahmineh.

What kind of school is this?

- An itinerant one. - Where's Fare?

In Iran.

Well, well, a class without a teacher...

Let's make the most of it.

Now repeat after me:

“R.A.N.G.“

What does that mean?

Color.

Bravo.

Now tell me

what color that is.

Red.

The red of a poppy.

Now tell me what color that is.

Yellow.

The yellow of a wheat field.

And that?

Blue.

The blue of God's heaven.

And that?

Blue.

The shimmering blue of the seas.

And that?

Yellow.

The yellow of the sun which lights up the world.

The yellow of the sun

and the blue of the water make the green of plants.

Green.

Pure green.

Yellow and red together in the sun...

Spring came, but my uncle still did not come.

In the spring, the whole tribe broke camp, except for our clan.

My father was waiting for my uncle to return

and take Grandma into town.

She was ill, but did not want to die.

She wanted to see Uncle first,

but he came too late.

Father

buried Grandma in a lush cemetery.

Hey there!

- Hello, Sakineh. How are you? - Hello, sir.

Don't you recognize me?

- No. - You don't recognize me?

And now?

You are my husband's brother.

Good.

- Why didn't you come with your wife? - I am still young.

Who would marry me?

Hello, Zinat. How are you?

You recognized me without my hat on!

Miss Gabbeh, your uncle is here.

The wedding day is nearing.

How are you, Sakineh?

And the children? How many do you have?

Seven. Come on, children. Your uncle's here.

Zinat, are you well?

- Hello. - Hello, Uncle.

HOW You've grown!

Tell your uncle to put in a good word for you.

My uncle? He doesn't even remember me.

He doesn't even know if he's my uncle

on my mother's or my father's side!

Is this your child?

You have been away so long you no longer recognize them.

You mock me. I shall show you.

Zinat, go over there.

Sakineh, go the other side.

Soraya, go to your mother.

Fatomeh, go over there.

Reza, you go there too. Go with Zinat.

You look like my brother.

- So did I get it right? - No!

Well, where did I go wrong?

Our uncle brought us together under the tree.

This tree is the symbol of our family.

A new branch sprouts with each new birth.

When one of us dies,

a branch is cut off.

Grandmother recognized each child

by the branches of the tree.

See? Uncle didn't ask after me.

He didn't ask where Gabbeh was.

He only came back for his mother.

Where's my mother? Where's Narendj?

Mother!

Mother! Narendj!

Your Abbas is back.

Where are you, Mom?

Too late. Your guardian angel has passed away.

Too late. Your guardian angel has passed away.

She wanted to finish this gabbeh for your wedding

and send it to you in town.