Most striking in this Middle-Eastern film are the subtle reflection of the beautiful nature against a background of a senseless war and intolerant human beings. You can see the film just for enjoyment and you can keep thinking about every scene for a long time.
The story begins with Bashu, the child who wakes up seeing his mother burning up in flames, his father disappearing under wreckage of their house and his sister vanishing in the midst of Iraqi bombardment during Iraq-Iran war. The perplexed child gets deaf and run into the back of a truck, which carries him to another part of the country. The same country, yet entirely a different world: another language, another skin color, different clothes, more green fields, less sand, different Iranians...etc.
So much difference in a country supposed to be made of one nation. An illusion most authorities in the region try make their people believe in instead of encouraging tolerance among their subjects. However, Bashu would be lucky enough to find the mother Naii who is a strong woman, independent, courageous and stubborn. She is caring for her two children, chickens and other animals and gives Bashu enough tenderness that makes him smile again despite the new environment, the new language, the rejection of other villagers and flash backs of his tragic family loss. It is no wonder that Bashu sees the ghost of his real mother most of the time next to Naii.
A less convincing scene was the return of Naii's husband. It might be due to censorship that it would be said in the film that Naii's husband was looking for work. It is more digestible for the audience to be told that the man has lost this arm in the war than saying that he lost it while looking for work!
Bahram Beizai shows us how independent and smart a woman can be, yet feminine and loveable.
