Asbe du-pa (2008)

Director:

Samira Makhmalbaf

Writer:

Mohsen Makhmalbaf (writer)

Release Date:

6 May 2009 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A wealthy boy hires a poor child to carry him around like a horse.

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

  (Credited cast)

Ziya Mirza Mohamad	...	Guiah, the horse-child
Haron Ahad	...	The master
Gol-Ghotai	...	The young beggar (as Gol Gotai Karimi)
Khojeh Nader	...	The uncle
Yasin Tavildar	...	The father

Also Known As:

Two-Legged Horse (International: English title)

Runtime:

Canada:101 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

Iran

Language:

Persian | Uzbek

Color:

Color

Certification:

France:U (with warning)

Filming Locations:

Afghanistan

Company:

Makhmalbaf Productions

Disturbing but Rewarding

Samira Makhmalbaf, the young Iranian film maker and daughter of renowned Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf, said in an introduction to this movie that she wants to show some images that really do exist but which people would prefer to look away and pretend they don't exist. To this aim she has certainly succeeded. Two Legged Horse makes for very uncomfortable viewing. The "story" is very simple: an old Afghan man hires a young Afghan boy at $1 a day to transport (horseback style) his crippled son around. The crippled boy's sadistic treatment of his "human horse" and the latter's total submission and slow metamorphosis into a horse are the counter points holding the film together. As usual with all Makhmalbaf films there are some haunting visual images.

Two Legged Horse conjures up Mohsen Makhmalbaf's Bicyclerun and Mehrjui's The Cow. One can not use the term "entertaining" for this film but it is certainly challenging and ultimately rewarding, if you can stay the course.