The snowy highlands surrounding the tiny village are a mixture of beauty and bleakness, echoed in the lives of these children who find moments of joy in their difficult day-to-day existence. Yes, this is pretty grim stuff, and it only gets worse as the film progresses and they face mind-boggling setbacks on every front. But it remains watchable due to the vibrant filmmaking style, almost documentary like and featuring non-actors basically playing themselves. This raw natural feel--created through Ghobadi's simple, understated writing and direction--brings the film to life and keeps us from wallowing in the characters' misery. And even if it does move very, very slowly, there's real tension as the horses are plied with alcohol so they keep going across the icy highlands, amid landmines and military ambushes. We vividly feel the chill of the wind, the stress of helplessness and the weight of oppression ... but in a matter-of-fact way that simply says, "This is how life is, like it or not."

themes

13.Aug.01

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