Delbaran

Colour, 35mm
Iran, Japan, 2001, 96 min
Section: Forum of Independents

Synopsis

Delbaran is a remote Iranian village close to the border with Afghanistan, lost in the midst of a desert. Kaim, an Afghan boy of 14, succeeds in crossing illegally the border into Iran. Several miles in, he finds shelter in Delbaran, in a truckstop tavern run by an elderly couple: Khan and Khale. Kaim helps them with the errands, in the kitchen, makes tea for the drivers, helps to repair the broke down cars, and the couple treats him like a son. But one day a police officer, who is in charge of tracking down the illegal Afghan labourers, discovers Kaim´s true identity and arrests him. The old woman, Khale, succeeds in obtaining his release. But soon a new road, built mostly by illegal Afghani workers, is open – and it misses Delbaran. The trucks no longer make a stopover at the tavern, now hopelessly empty… Delbaran received a Special Jury Prize at the Locarno film festival.

About the director

Abolfazl Jalili (1957, Saveh, Iran) started to make Super-8 films already as a teenager. After his studies of directing he worked for national television (IRIB) where he produced several children´s and documentary films. His films were awarded at many intl. festivals. Films: Joghd (short, 1975), Pesarek-e rouznameh –foroush (1976), Khaneh (short, 1979), Ba bachehay-e zelzeleh-zadeh Golbagh-e Kerman (short, 1980), Mohajerin-e jangi (doc., 1981), Dakeh-daran-e Tehran (doc., 1981), Movazeb bash! (1982), Milad/Naivity (1983), Bahar/Spring (1985), Gal (1987), Dorna (1990), Dance of Dust (1990), Det, yani dokhtar/Det Means Girl (1994), Yek dastan-e Vaghe´i/A True Story (1996), Dan (1997), Ghessé hayé kish/Tales of Kish (1999), Delbaran (2001).