Film Center in California Shows Narges Abyar’s Breath

Smith Rafael Film Center affiliated to the California Film Institute, a non-profit organization, screened ‘Breath,’ a feature film written and directed by Iranian filmmaker Narges Abyar on Saturday.

‘Breath’ has traveled across continents and entered the line-up for over 30 international events. This time, it is part of ‘For Your Consideration’ section of the film center’s screening programs, which shows a selection of the films submitted from around the world to the upcoming edition of Academy Awards (March 4) in the category of foreign language film.

According to the website of the venue Rafaelfilm.cafilm.org, Abyar’s film, which will be shown with English subtitles, is a “beautifully crafted anti-war drama”.

The 112-minute film is a portrait of pre-teen daydreamer Bahar and her family, in the wake of the 1979 Islamic Revolution and 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. Her love of books leads her into a fantasy world where frightening realities are left behind. Though the ongoing events are peripheral to her world, the revolution and war with Iraq loom larger than she can imagine.

Abyar’s Breath was among the films submitted to the 90th Academy Awards; however it could not make the 9-film shortlist.

For the 15th consecutive year, Smith Rafael Film Center has offered a choice sampling. This is a rare opportunity to view some of the most distinguished works in international cinema, many of which are film festival prizewinners.

The film depicts a child’s complex experience of family, school, friendship, literacy and social ambition. Bahar lives in her own childish and surreal world full of dreams and fantasies. It is a movie about the profound journey into the innocence and magic of childhood.

Abyar has said the story is based on a novel she wrote earlier. Parts of the events are from her own memories and the rest is derived from the experience of people around her.

Sareh Nour-Mousavi, Pantea Panahiha, Mehran Ahmadi, Jamshid Hashempour and Shabnam Moqaddami are in the cast.