Rojin - a film critique
- KurdishMedia.com - By Hishyar Abid
- 25/06/2010 00:00:00
The opening scenes are brilliantly executed. A mere 20 seconds of pure artistry. The man in uniform comes to a doused-off women and pointing to the baby in her arms says "its too late". Woman wakes up. Looks at baby. Face twist in pain and burst in tear. Somehow you feel it is not the shock. Must be the grief then, or the profound realisation of loss. Or is it the guilt of contributing to the death by being politically active and ending up in jail with him. Yet still, it could be the awful feeling of missing the event, not being there for him when he took his last breath, even though he died in her arms.
This sequence, superbly shot and beautifully acted by Shivani Ghai (Bride and Predejuce, House of Saddam), sets the scene that trails the life of Rojin, a Kurdish woman from Iran, who was imprisoned and survived political persecution. She ends up living in London and working in a hotel where, one day (as she arrives late and the manager checks his watch as she passes through – nice touch) she notices a familiar man (Vincenzo Nicoli – The Dark Night, Flight of Fury) at the reception. It is only later, when she overheard him speaking in Persian that she recognises him. Her tormentor in prison brings it all back. The torture, the pain, the rape, the anger and despair. We re-live the moments as she recall it, till it culminates in an epic stand-off. Then the moral dilemma sets in. Should she take advantage of this moment and revenge all the wrongs inflicted by this man and what he represents? Or should she rise above it, claim the higher ground and dwarf him with her humanity?
The end is a difficult one. Rahimi, who has handled the story brilliantly and demonstrated a rare ability in utilising the language of cinema, towards the end trod a very fine line. The choice between what should happen and what could happen is stark and pregnant with more questions. Has the prison, torture and rape reduced the victim to something close to her tormentors, or is she going to prove stronger than her experiences? There is no easy answer.
Rahimi, in her second short film, manages to keep the audience engaged with fast pace of rhythm and reduced scenes that, once made the point, move swiftly to the next. The screenplay is condensed and rich that demands more than one viewing. This short film is also packed with little nuggets that adorn it in clever details. There is one when she hesitates to walk the darkening ally near her council estate while a group of hooded youth are busy paint-brushing graffiti on the wall. As she waits for them to disperse, her memories throw her back in time to the day she was arrested as she was air-brushing political slogans on a wall. By doing so, she ties the past to present. She shows the fear that still inhibits her and explains it with what happened decades ago. At the same time, she is flourishes us with new chapters from the story she is telling.
Rahimi has a very convincing ability to tell stories. One can only wonder what she could achieve if she ventures into feature movies.
Rojin is directed by Chiman Rahimi and stars Shivani Ghai (Five Days, House of Saddam). It is produced by BIFA-nominated Poisson Rouge Pictures (The Hide), and written by award-winning writer Toby Norways.
Director Chiman Rahmi during the shooting of Rojin
- KurdishMedia.com - By Hishyar Abid
- 25/06/2010 00:00:00