Abbas Kiarostami: Ta'ziyeh / The Spectators
The film explores the Ta'ziyeh, a unique form of Islamic musical drama performed, often by ordinary citizens, in towns and villages across Iran. It dramatizes the famous 680 A.D. Battle of Kerbala, in which Muhammad's grandson, Imam Hussain, was killed in battle along with his followers. Part theater, part religious ritual, it offers its audience the cathartic experience of collectively expressing their sorrow at the tragic events unfolding before them. With this multiscreen video installation, Kiarostami invites the audience to participate in the ritual. One screen shows a performance of the Ta'ziyeh, while two much larger screens flanking it show the faces of audience members at the performance (segregated, according to custom, by gender).Like the visitors to the film itself, they at first chat and relax before the show, but as the tragic play progresses, their emotions become intense.
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