Bab'Aziz: The Prince That Contemplated His Soul

I came across this wonderful movie in a DVD shop in Basel and was attracted by the well designed DVD cover. I ordered the DVD from net and the Movie turned out one of the best movies I have ever seen where the visible indicates towards the even bigger invisible world.. and the outer images turn you joyfully inward. Sufism is a hidden mystic tradition and its secrets are well hidden. But in this movie if you are alert will be introduced to some of most beautiful dances and recitals. The music is uplifting and the photography simply beautiful.I congratulate the director of the movie for his courage and sense of beauty. In addition the movie is full of paraables and portrayal of desert which is ever so associated with Sufis. The temple in the sand and the Zikhr cereomony left me asking for more..

I saw this dazzling work of art at the Palm Springs film festival January 10 and it got my vote for best film of the week. It was as beautiful as it was touching and funny. Maryam Hamid gave a flawless performance as the charming and sweet Ishtar. Parviz Shaminkhou was superb as her determined and caring dervish grandfather. Blind but not sightless, he finds his way across the constantly changing terrain guided only by his heart, in search of that place he is meant to be. The hypnotizing music of Armand Amar was the perfect accompaniment to the stunning Tunisian landscape where each scene was more magnificent than the next; a dream within a dream. Do not miss this film.

Although there are moments when the movie may seem to progress slowly; nonetheless it kept the audience at the cinema glued to their seats. I went to watch the movie twice. It did not attract huge audiences; which in great part may be due to its lack of adequate advertising; but those few who did come to see the movie were glued to their seats. The movie has two great features. One is the soul stirring choice of music and its perfect adaptation to the scenes. Secondly, the movie successfully achieves the difficult undertaking of introducing and explaining in graphic terms and with simple stories the almost exclusively Oriental world of mysticism. The setting might not reflect the physical or material reality of the East, but it definitely does add to the magic and facilitates the viewer's transit from the material world outside to the spiritual world within. Highly recommended.

For anyone who is unaware of the culture,the Dervish is an integral part of the Sufi branch of Islam (the ones who embrace mysticism). This is a loving meditation on a grandfather & granddaughter who embark on a spiritual odyssey to a gathering of Dervishes that only takes place every 30 years. Along the way,the pair encounters various persons in the desert that tell their stories (which,like Sufi stories,interweave within one another). This is a lovingly written, directed,filmed (mostly in the barren desert areas of Iran,giving the film a dreamy & surreal look at times)allegory of spirituality. This is a film that deserves to be taken at it's own terms (the pacing is s-l-o-w, but don't let that deter you). The music score is fantastic,with lots of traditional Sufi music (it might help to listen to a bit of it---try anything by the late,great Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn for some background). By all means,get yourself attuned & enjoy this rare bit of entertainment & enlightenment.

I went today on a film festival in Izola, Slovenia and this was the first movie I saw. I'm in a youth jury.

I have to say that this is one of the best movies I have ever seen. Everything is going on in a desert and you completely feel like your a part of this story. Movie photography is amazing. There are four stories that all tell one message. Maybe it's a little hard to follow all the stories, but in the end everything makes sense. I loved the message, but I can't tell you what it is, I want you to see the movie.

The music was also amazing. Arabic music makes you feel like your there, in the movie, but sometimes it's a little bit to loud...you can't hear the desert. But maybe that's what the director wanted. I recommend it to everyone!