Watch The Wind Will Carry Us

The Wind Will Carry Us is a 1999 Iranian film directed by Abbas Kiarostami. The film revolves around the story of a group of men who come to a small Iranian village to witness a mysterious ritual, which is kept secret by the villagers. The protagonist of the story is a man known only as "the engineer," played by Behzad Dorani. He is accompanied by three others, who remain in a van parked on the outskirts of the village.

The film is a slow-paced meditation on life, death, and the passage of time. It is shot entirely on location in a stark and desolate landscape. The camera follows the engineer as he wanders through the village, interacting with the locals and gradually becoming a part of their world. He is initially depicted as an outsider, with little or no understanding of the villagers' customs and beliefs. However, as the film progresses, he begins to develop a deeper sense of empathy for the people around him.

One of the key themes explored in The Wind Will Carry Us is the idea of knowledge and how it connects us to the world around us. The engineer's quest to witness the ritual is driven by a desire for knowledge, but he soon learns that there are things that cannot be understood or explained through empirical observation alone. As he spends more time in the village, he begins to appreciate the importance of intuition and the wisdom of the local people.

The film also explores the idea of death and the passing of time. The engineer is initially presented as a cold and clinical observer, but he becomes increasingly aware of his own mortality as the story progresses. This is reflected in his interactions with an old woman in the village, who is dying of an unspecified illness. Through their conversations, the engineer begins to realize that the value of life lies not in the length of time we have but in the depth of our experiences.

Another notable aspect of The Wind Will Carry Us is its use of language. The film is filled with poetic dialogue, much of which is derived from Persian literature and folklore. The characters speak in riddles and metaphors, which helps to create a sense of mystery and magic in the world of the film. Kiarostami is known for his use of non-professional actors, and the performers in The Wind Will Carry Us are all locals who had no previous acting experience. This gives the film a sense of authenticity and enhances its themes of community and tradition.

Overall, The Wind Will Carry Us is a haunting and beautiful film that rewards patience and contemplation. Its exploration of life, death, and the passage of time is deeply moving, and its portrayal of a remote Iranian village is both mysterious and mesmerizing. Abbas Kiarostami was one of the most important filmmakers of his generation, and this film is a testament to his skill and vision.

The Wind Will Carry Us is a 1999 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 58 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.4 and a MetaScore of 87.