The White Balloon (Iran/1995) [View all]

[RainDog]

wiki: The White Balloon (Persian: بادکنک سفيد ?, Badkonake sefid) is a 1995 Iranian film directed by Jafar Panahi, with a screenplay by Abbas Kiarostami. It was Panahi's feature-film debut as director. The film won numerous awards in international film festivals around the world including the Prix de la Camera d'Or at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival. The Guardian has listed this movie as one of the 50 best family films of all time.

The eve of the Iranian New Year. Seven-year-old Razieh sees a goldfish while out shopping with her mother, but her mother won't buy one. Razieh is upset about her mother's refusal and continues her campaign for the goldfish when they are back home. Her older brother Ali (Mohsen Kalifi) returns from a shopping errand for their father who, although unseen, has a tangible presence causing tension in the family.

Razieh finally gets her wish. Her mother gives her the family's last 500-toman banknote and asks her to bring back the change. Razieh sets off with an empty glass jar to the fish shop a few blocks away, but immediately loses the money to a snake charmer...

Nowrūz (Persian: نوروز?, IPA: [nouˈɾuːz], meaning "[The] New Day&quot is the name of the New Year in the Solar Hijri calendar and is the most important holiday in Iran.

Nowruz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Iranian calendar. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical Northward equinox, which usually occurs on March 21 or the previous/following day depending on where it is observed. The moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator and equalizes night and day is calculated exactly every year and Iranian families gather together to observe rituals such as visiting relatives to share special foods, banging pots and pans, and singing songs.

Haft Sîn -Persian: هفت سین? -or the seven 'S's is a major traditional table setting of Nowruz, the traditional Iranian spring celebration. The haft sin table includes seven items starting with the letter 'S' or Sīn "س " in the Persian alphabet. This tradition stems from the more ancient "Haft Chin" table.

The "Haft Chin" items are:

Mirror – symbolizing Sky
Apple – symbolizing Earth
Candles – symbolizing Fire
Golab – rose water symbolizing Water
Sabzeh – wheat, or barley sprouts symbolizing Plants
Goldfish – symbolizing Animals
Painted Eggs – symbolizing Humans and Fertility

A bowl of water with goldfish (life within life, and the sign of Pisces which the sun is leaving) is an essential object of the Nowruz table, this goldfish is also "very ancient and meaningful" and has a Zoroastrian connection.