Bab'Aziz - The Prince Who Contemplated His Soul (2006)

About

âAn Arabian dream that weaves timeless story threads with mystical and Sufi elements into a beautiful film object. . . as fascinating as reading a new chapter of 1,001 Nights.â - - Deborah Young, Variety

Synopsis

A visual poem of incomparable beauty, this masterpiece from director Nacer Khemir (Wanderers of the Desert) begins with the story of a blind dervish named BabâAziz and his spirited granddaughter, Ishtar. Together they wander the desert in search of a great reunion of dervishes that takes place just once every thirty years.

With faith as their only guide, the two journey for days through the expansive, barren landscape. To keep Ishtar entertained, BabâAziz relays the ancient tale of a prince who relinquished his realm in order to remain next to a small pool in the desert, staring into its depths while contemplating his soul.

As the tale of the prince unfolds, the two encounter other travelers with stories of their own - including Osman, who longs for the beautiful woman he met at the bottom of a well, and Zaid, who searches for the ravishing young woman who fled from him after being seduced by his songs. Filled with breathtaking images and wonderful music, Nacir Khemir has created a fairytale-like story of longing and belonging, filmed in the enchanting and ever-shifting sandscapes of Tunisia and Iran.

Cast:

Parviz Shahinkhou - BabâAziz Maryam Hamid - Ishtar Nessim Kahloul - Zaid Mohamed Grayaa - Osman Maryam Mohaid Hossein Panahi Golshifteh Farahani - Nour

Reviews:

âA structurally audacious fairy tale that imparts moral lessons and shows how narratives reflect and shape life⦠cinematographer Mahmoud Kalari frames the dunes, rock formations and sandblasted village and cities with a poetâs eye, turning real spaces into dreamscapes.â âMatt Zoller Seitz, New York Times

âThe breathtaking desert landscapes that dominate Nacer Khemirâs beautiful, elliptical Middle East drama deserve the big screen⦠youâll remember the dreamlike state the film induces long after the credits roll.â âNew York Magazine

âcinematographer Mahmoud Kalari infuses the screen with sumptuous yet unemphatic colors, filtered through sun and wind and sand. Thereâs nothing forced about BabâAziz; its ideas resonate quietly, building to a breathtaking climax.â âSheri Linden, LA Times

âTunisian filmmaker Nacer Khemir spins an exquisite, mystical tone poem of a film⦠the arrival of BabâAziz - The Prince Who Contemplated His Soul is, to misuse a dervish cliché, something worth singing and dancing about.â âPhil Hall, Film Threat

Archive

Internet Archive, in More feature films

Licence or status

The Internet Archive states none for this item.

Credit

Nacer Khemir

Who can watch

The archive gives no rating. Invisible Network shows it to Teens profiles and older, judged from its collection and subjects. How films are placed