Makhmalbaf Family Official Website - وبسایت رسمی خانه فیلم مخملباف

The Gardener

Synopsis:
 
An Iranian film maker and his son travel to Israel to investigate a world religion with around 7 million followers, which originated in Iran about a hundred and seventy years ago. Youth from all over the world come to Haifa, the center of this religion, to serve. Those who serve in the gardens that surround the holy places develop peace loving attitudes through their interactions with nature.
 
As the father accompanies a gardener from Papua New Guinea, he finds similarities between the teachings of this religion, which was born in Iran, and the positive ideas promoted by people like Mandela and Gandhi. The father asks whether Iran would still be pursuing nuclear weapons if the Iranian people had adopted a peaceful religion. He shares this idea with his son, who is also investigating Religion, but the son strongly believes that all religions tend to bring about destruction. As a result of these arguments, father and son separate from one another and pursue their own paths.
This film shows two completely different views on Religion. The director's camera portrays examples of two generations of Iranians through this story....

International Awards: 
  1. "Golden Award" From the Beirut International Film Festival, Lebanon, 2012
    (Mohsen Makhmalbaf dedicated the award to all those people who are working around the world for peace and who are striving to prevent wars which are the causes of destruction committed in the name of God.)
  2. Special Maverick Award (Independent Art), 16th Motovun Film Festival, Croatia, 2013
     
Director's View: 

 
According to Article 18 of the Declaration of Human Rights, each person has the right to choose his or her religion. In spite of the fact that the Iranian government has accepted this, it has deprived hundreds of thousands of Iranians, who have chosen the Baha’i Faith as their religion of their rights, including receiving higher education and working in public offices. Their cemeteries are being destroyed, from time to time they are arrested, sent to prison and executed. In spite of all this, Baha’is refuse to abandon their beliefs. 
Today still many people don’t know, what it is about Baha’i thought that has brought this much punishment onto them. 
This film tries to shed light on the Bahai’s thoughts and their situation....

Titles: 

Original Title: Bagheban
Director and Writer: Mohsen Makhmalbaf 

Cast:
Maysam Makhmalbaf
Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Ririva Eona Mabi
Paula Asadi
Guillaume Nyagatare
Tjireya Tjitendero Juzgado
Ian David Huang
Bal Kumari Gurung
 
Cinematographer & Editor: Maysam Makhmalbaf
Sound Design: Kim Young Ho
 
Property Master:
Sepehr Panahian
Mojgan Taban
Location Manager:
Rostam Beheshti
Translator:
Monib Moayyed
Amgad Squires
Jamila Squires
Oxana Shulga
Alfredo Lemus
Archival Researchers:
Alicia Perdu Molina
Lorraine Sherrill
Digital Colorist:
Joseph Lee (Lee Min Ho)
With special thanks to: 
Asian Cinema Fund
Hong Hyosook
Kim Hyunmin
Kim Taelim
London Film Academy

Production: Makhmalbaf Film House
87 minutes, Color, © 2012
International Sales: Makhmalbaf Film House (UK)

Festivals: 
  1. Busan International Film Festival, Korea, October 2012 
  2. Beirut International Film Festival, Lebanon, October 2012 
  3. Mumbai International Film Festival, India, October 2012
  4. Tokyo filmex International Film Festival, Japan, November 2012
  5. Tbilisi International Film Festival, Georgia, December 2012
  6. Trivandrum International Film Festival, India, December 2012
  7. Chennai International Film Festival, India, December 2012
  8. Kochi International Film Festival, India, December 2012
  9. Kolkata International Film Festival , India, 2012
  10. Kerala International Film Festival, India, 2012
     
  11. Rotterdam International Film Festival, Netherlands, 2013 
  12. Hong Kong International Film Festival, Hong Kong, 2013 
  13. Vilnius International Film Festival KINO PAVASARIS, Lithuania, 2013 
  14. African, Asian and Latin American Film Festival, Italy, 2013 
  15. Moscow International Film Festival, Russia, 2013 
  16. Jerusalem International Film Festival, Israel, 2013
  17. 16th Motovun International Film Festival, Croatia, 2013
  18. Vancouver International Film Festival, Canada, 2013
  19. Iranian Film Festival Australia, 2013
  20. Sao Paulo International Film Festival, Brazil, 2013
     
  21. Doclisboa International Film Festival, Portugal, 2013
  22. International Film Festival India (IFFI), India, 2013
  23. Tubingen International film Festival, Germany, 2014
  24. La Rochelle International Film Festival, France, 2015
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