Baran (film)

Baran (Persian: باران ‎‎; literally: Rain) is a 2001 Iranian film directed by Majid Majidi, based on an original script by Majid Majidi. The movie is set during recent times in which there are a large number of Afghan refugees living on the outskirts of Tehran. Almost a silent movie, Baran won a number of awards both nationally and internationally for the director and writer Majid Majidi.

Synopsis

It is winter in Teheran. Lateef is 17. He works at a building construction site managed by MEMAR, the site foreman. Lateef's job is to serve tea and prepare food for the workers with whom he is always quarrelling. The workers come from all parts of Iran, particularly from Iranian Azerbaijan (Azeris are referred as "Turks" in the film). Some workers are Afghan refugees from war-torn Afghanistan. They have no identity cards and are employed illegally as cheap labour. When the labour inspectors show up, the Afghan workers must hide.

As the story starts, an Afghan worker, NAJAF, falls from the building and breaks his leg. He is taken to the hospital. The next day, SOLTAN, another Afghan worker, brings in RAHMAT, Najaf's son, who is around 14 years old, to replace his father. Memar soon realizes that Rahmat is not fit for such hard work, and decides to switch the jobs between Rahmat and Lateef. Lateef is furious, threatens Rahmat, tries to sabotage his work and spies on him. One day, by looking through the door where Rahmat works, he is totally shocked to discover that Rahmat is a girl. As he watches her comb her hair, he finds himself in a strange state, surrounded by unusual sounds.