Watch The White Meadows

The White Meadows from 2009 is a stunning and thought-provoking film from Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof. The movie follows an enigmatic and mysterious boatman, Rahmat, as he makes his way through a remote region of Iran's salt flats known as 'The White Meadows', collecting the tears of the inhabitants. Each person's tear holds a story, a memory or a wish, and it is Rahmat's job to bear witness to these tales.

The opening scene of The White Meadows beautifully sets the tone for the film. We see a man standing in the middle of the white salt flats, his body covered in salt, his head bowed in prayer. It's a stark reminder of the harsh and unforgiving environment that dominates this land, and how it shapes the people who live there. This is a movie that is both visually stunning and emotionally powerful, able to elicit strong feelings from its audience with its quiet elegance and simple storytelling.

As the film progresses, we begin to see more of the people who populate this world. From the old man who lives on a boat surrounded by a sea of salt, to the young woman who wants to return to her hometown to find the son she gave up for adoption, each character is fully realized and richly drawn. The film's use of stark, desolate landscapes and deep, penetrating silences enhances the sense of isolation and hopelessness that many of the inhabitants of The White Meadows feel.

Much like the tears that Rahmat collects, the stories that the people tell in The White Meadows are both heartbreaking and hopeful. We come to understand the weight of the past on these individuals and how it has shaped their present circumstances. The film doesn't shy away from the political and social realities of Iranian society, touching on issues like censorship, corruption, and gender inequality. However, these issues are not the focus of the film, but rather serve to ground it in a specific time and place, and highlight the universal struggle for human connection and meaning.

The performances in The White Meadows are uniformly excellent, with Hassan Pourshirazi delivering a standout performance as Rahmat. He imbues the character with a sense of otherworldly detachment and grace, and his quiet strength and compassion are the anchor that holds the film together. Similarly, Younes Ghazali & Mohammad Rabbani's turn as a father and son duo that supports Rahmat is a standout in the movie. Their deep bond and trust in Rahmat is touching and often serves as the emotional core of the storyline.

On a technical level, The White Meadows is truly impressive. The cinematography, by Reza Jalali, is breathtaking, and makes excellent use of the stark landscape and sparse visual palette. The sound design is similarly impressive, with the haunting echoes of the flute and the chanting of the people adding to the eerie and surreal atmosphere of the film.

In conclusion, The White Meadows from 2009 is a cinematic masterpiece that deserves to be seen and appreciated by a wider audience. It's a haunting and unforgettable film that showcases the richness and complexity of the Iranian culture, while also asking universal questions about love, loss, and the human condition. The storytelling is pure, affecting, and free from any gimmick, resulting in a movie that requires the audience to often reflect internally, yet consistently keeps them remained sewed to the screen. It's a slow-moving film that will undoubtedly be too much for viewers who are accustomed to Hollywood's fast-paced, action-heavy films, but for those who have an appetite for signature art-house charms, The White Meadows has it all.