Ragbar / Downpour (2011 restoration in 2K by World Cinema Foundation)

رگبار. IR 1971. PC: Mehregan Film. P: Barbod Taheri. D+SC: Bahram Beyzaie. DP: Barbod Taheri. M: Shida Garachedaghi. ED: Mehdi Rajaeeyan. C: Parviz Fannizadeh (Hekmati), Parvaneh Masumi (Atie), Manuchehr Farid (Rahim), Mohammad Ali Keshavarz (Nazem), Hossein Kasbian, Jamsheed Layegh, Chehrazad. Not released in Finland – MEKU 8.2.2016 – K7 – 122 min announced, this dcp 130 min
    Restored in 2011 by The World Cinema Foundation at Cineteca di Bologna / L’Immagine Ritrovata in collaboration with Bahram Beyzaie. Restoration funding provided by Doha Film Institute. 130 min
    2K DCP (with burned-in English subtitles by Khoury & Ebcid from the source print) from Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna.
    Cinema Orion, Helsinki (Iranian New Wave, curated by Ehsan Khoshbakht), 11 Feb 2016

I had an opportunity to sample Ragbar, directed by Bahram Beyzaie, for a half an hour in Bologna three years ago and since then I have been looking forward to see this movie in its entirety. As was possible to tell from the sample already, it's a masterpiece.

It is the story of a schoolteacher, Hekmati (Parviz Fannizadeh), who arrives at a little community. Where he comes from there was a vacancy only at a girls' school which he was not allowed to take since he is a bachelor.

We are immediately in the middle of a scene full of life as the teacher moves his belongings in carts to his uphill lodging. The children are curious and noisy, always ready with pranks, but they can be helpful, as well. There is a lot of fuss with an old mirror and a thrilling chase when the cart starts to roll downhill. An old piece of art glass is miraculously saved... at first.

Hekmati is awkward and clumsy, and he seems initially shy and weak, but that is just the surface impression. During the film we learn to appreciate his inner strength and dignity, and so do the characters of the narrative.

Hekmati has a hard time establishing discipline, but he does not give up. Those who cause trouble during the class he firmly evicts. One day a beautiful young woman, Atie (Parvaneh Masumi), approaches him and asks him why he has had her little brother kicked out. There is no privacy, and although nothing happens, Hekmati and Atie become an item of gossip.

It turns out that Atie has a rich suitor, Rahim (Manuchehr Farid) who sends her packages of meat. Atie does not care for him, but Rahim helps her family and promises to take care of all of them if they get married. Because of the gossip Hekmati gets badly beaten. Hekmati and Atie try to avoid each other but their mutual attraction is irresistible. During heavy rain Hekmati escorts Atie and states that he cannot catch a cold in Atie's company. "I'm hot". (But he catches a cold anyway).

Hekmati enters as an outsider but gradually starts to command the respect of others. He is touchy and lonely but when there is a derelict building that is to be renovated for school use Hekmati embarks on it alone, his big project is a success, and the climax of the film is a school celebration at the renovated hall. It is an event full of joy and fun, but Hekmati is about to be ignored until the children, who by now have become his firmest allies, insist in Hekmati being acknowledged. For the school brass this is the last straw who immediately put wheels in motion to have Hekmati transferred.

In an original twist of the movie even Rahim becomes friends with Hekmati. Atie cannot leave her family because of Hekmati. So she will stay with Rahim instead.

There is a powerful finale as Hekmati is moving away from the community with his belongings again in carts, this time with mourning children in tow, the shocked Atie helplessly watching. No happy ending, but everyone has been deeply moved.

The cinematography by Barbod Taheri is expressive within a realistic idiom. The editing by Mehdi Rajaeeyan has been influenced by the French new wave. The music by Shida Garachedaghi has an intriguing Persian sound. The performances are perfect, and Bahram Beyzaie belongs to the Iranian masters who are excellent directors of children. The faces are eloquent.

A beautiful work of digital restoration from an apparently difficult source.

OUR PROGRAM NOTE BASED ON IL CINEMA RITROVATO 2013 BEYOND THE JUMP BREAK:
OUR PROGRAM NOTE BASED ON IL CINEMA RITROVATO 2013 BEYOND THE JUMP BREAK:

Restauroitu laitos: 2011, World Cinema Foundation. Laboratorio: L’Immagine Ritrovata (Bologna). Rahoitus: Doha Film Institute. – Lähtömateriaali oli Bahram Bayzaien oma englanniksi tekstitetty esityskopio. Koska kyseessä oli elokuvan ainoa tunnettu kopio – muut lähtömateriaalit oli takavarikoitu ja oletettavasti tuhottu – restauroinnissa tarvittiin huomattava työpanos fyysiseen ja digitaaliseen kunnostukseen. Lähtömateriaali oli pahasti vaurioitunut, ja siinä oli naarmuja, perforikkoa ja kuvaruudun keskelle tehtyjä liitoksia. Restaurointiin tarvittiin yli 1500 työtuntia.

Ragbaria tehdessäni kaupallisen ja älyllisen elokuvan yhtälöt olivat toistensa kaltaisia. Kaupallisten toiminta- ja draamaelokuvien vallitseva moraali painottui poliittisen ideologian ja yhteiskunnallisen aktiivisuuden suuntaan. Älyllisiä elokuvia kiitettiin siitä, että ne kommunikoivat massakulttuurin kanssa. Siinä mielessä en halua olla populaari. Monet populaareista moraalikäsityksistä ovat mielestäni vääriä, ja olemme kaikki niiden uhreja. Olisin pettänyt kansani jos olisin tukenut niitä. Olen poikennut poliittisten puolueiden moraalista, minkä takia ne, ei kansa, ovat leimanneet minut mahdottomaksi käsittää. Ankaran ilmaisutapani ytimessä on sellaista rakkautta ja kunnioitusta kansaa kohtaan, jota pinnallinen massojen ylistys ei tavoita. Minun yleisöäni ovat ne, jotka pyrkivät astumaan askeleen edemmäksi, eivät vanhojen yhtälöiden vartijat eivätkä ne, jotka kammoavat itsetutkiskelua ja itsetiedostusta.
– Bahram Bayzaie

Olen hyvin ylpeä siitä, että World Cinema Foundation on restauroinut Ragbarin, tämän viisaan ja kauniin elokuvan, ohjaaja Bahram Bayzaien ensimmäisen pitkän elokuvan. Sen sävy tuo mieleen sitä, mitä kaikkein eniten rakastan italialaisissa neorealistisissa elokuvissa, ja juonessa on muinaisen tarun kauneutta – siitä välittyy Bayzaien tausta persialaisessa kirjallisuudessa, teatterissa ja runoudessa. Bayzaie ei milloinkaan saanut ansaitsemaansa tukea kotimaansa hallitukselta – hän asuu nyttemmin Kaliforniassa – ja on tuskallista ajatella, että tämä tavattoman hieno elokuva, joka oli aikoinaan niin suosittu Iranissa, oli vähällä tuhoutua ikuisiksi ajoiksi.
    Iranin hallitus on joko takavarikoinut tai tuhonnut alkuperäisnegatiivin, ja ainoa, mitä oli jäljellä, oli yksi 35 mm:n kopio, johon on poltettu englantilaiset alatekstit.
    Nyt koko maailman yleisö saa tämän huomattavan elokuvan nähtäväkseen.
– Martin Scorsese 2011

AA 11.2.2016