Travel on Persian carpet

Gabbeh
With Shaghayeh Djodat, Hossein Moharami, Rogheih Moharami, Abbas Sayah
Screening at the Verona Cinema, Sydney

Review by Derek Nagle

The gabbeh of the title is a particular type of decorative Persian carpet. In south-east Iran, tribes of nomads weave these carpets, based on their experiences in life, in love and in the travels they undertake.

Care of the gabbeh is of the utmost importance. By a river, an old woman washes it, talking to it as she does so. From this conversation, and the pattern of the carpet, a young girl tells her own story.

She is part of a tribe, which she travels with. She is not allowed to join the man she loves, because her family forbade it. Nevertheless, he follows the tribe, on horseback, through the harsh terrain of Iran, watching Gabbeh all the time. Every now and again he blows on a horn, to help her remember him. Gabbeh will be happy only when she can join her true love, and this thought is what keeps her going.

As a second story, Gabbeh's old uncle Sayahi, a teacher and poet, returns from the city. He wishes to settle back with his native tribe and live in the countryside. Sayahi is a born teacher. He shows the children how to get the dye which will colour the gabbeh's wool from the flowers which grow nearby. Sayahi is single, until one day, near a spring, he falls in love. Soon he is married, amidst much rejoicing for the happy couple and the erection of a tent for them. They are a happy couple.

Gabbeh is a gentle film which is far, far removed from the violence of Hollywood movies; it's a nice change to watch such a film. Although not all that much happens, it's a good opportunity to learn about the nomadic tribes which are slowly but surely disappearing from modern Iran.

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