成长是一笔交易，我们都是用朴素的童真与未经人事的洁白交换长大的勇气。——《魔女宅急便》Thisisanunusualfilmofexceptionalvalues--75minuteslongincolor,withhardlyanyspokendialogs.IsawthisIranianfilminFarsiwithoutEnglishsubtitlesattheEarlyIraniancinemaretrospectiveon-goingInternationalFilmFestivalofKerala,India.ThatIwaswatchingaprintwithoutsubtitlesdidnotmakeadifferenceastherewereveryfewlinesofspokendialogs. Thisisaveryaccessiblefilmforanyaudiencetoenjoy--itsstoryandvaluesarenotmerelyIranian,it'suniversal. ThefilmissetinruralIranthathadnottastedpetro-dollarprosperity.Thesettingisonfringesofdesertland,wherewaterisscarce,rainfallscantyandhardlyanybladeofgrassisgreen.Addtoitwindanddustthatbuffetsandwhipsmanandanimalandyoucanimagineplightofthepeoplewholiveonthefringesofsociety. Thefilmismovingtaleofayoungteenagerreturningtohisvillagewithagoat--onlytofindhisfamilyandvillagershavemovedontoescapenaturesvagariesandthatoneoldmanremains.Hegivesthegoattohimandgoesinsearchofhisfamily.Waterisscarceandwellwaterittreatedwithreverenceandneverwasted.