Thisisanunusualfilmofexceptionalvalues--75minuteslongincolor,withhardlyanyspokendialogs.IsawthisIranianfilminFarsiwithoutEnglishsubtitlesattheEarlyIraniancinemaretrospectiveon-goingInternationalFilmFestivalofKerala,India.ThatIwaswatchingaprintwithoutsubtitlesdidnotmakeadifferenceastherewereveryfewlinesofspokendialogs.Thisisaveryaccessiblefilmforanyaudiencetoenjoy--itsstoryandvaluesarenotmerelyIranian,it'suniversal.ThefilmissetinruralIranthathadnottastedpetro-dollarprosperity.Thesettingisonfringesofdesertland,wherewaterisscarce,rainfallscantyandhardlyanybladeofgrassisgreen.Addtoitwindanddustthatbuffetsandwhipsmanandanimalandyoucanimagineplightofthepeoplewholiveonthefringesofsociety.Thefilmismovingtaleofayoungteenagerreturningtohisvillagewithagoat--onlytofindhisfamilyandvillagershavemovedontoescapenaturesvagariesandthatoneoldmanremains.Hegivesthegoattohimandgoesinsearchofhisfamily.Waterisscarceandwellwaterittreatedwithreverenceandneverwasted.