Shahrzad

In an interior full of old furniture, photos and other memorabilia, an old woman is sitting on her sofa. She watches a bit of TV, lets a ribbon glide through her fingers, stares at a photo, reads something aloud, talks to herself or to imaginary visitors. In often poetic snippets she tells us about her past, her youthful glance that caused trees to blossom, and about long lost lovers. This woman is Shahrzad, a well-known Iranian poet and once a great beauty and performer. Photos and documents bear witness to this. Now she has withdrawn into herself and her memories, has decided not to walk any more, and to keep the outside world out. She plucks at her hair and puts on her lipstick, but seems oblivious of anything or anyone. Due to the calm, enveloping movement of the camera, it is as if you are floating through her house and, as an invisible guest, are allowed to see and hear something of her inner world. (text by Esma Moukhtar)