Bareha Dar Barf Bedonya Miayand

The Lambs Are Born in the Snow
Farhad Mehranfar
Iran, 1989
Original with English subtitles

At the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen 1990, in addition to the usual prizes, the International Jury also awarded a one-time "Environmental Prize", which had been donated by a citizen of Oberhausen. The award went to Bareha Dar Barf Bedonya Miayand (The Lambs Are Born in the Snow, Iran, 1989), one of the first films by Farhad Mehranfar, who is now a well-known feature and documentary film director. Shot in winter in a difficult-to-reach mountainous region in north-western Iran, the film depicts the lives of nomadic shepherds who are believed to be descendants of the ancient Kadusian people. Mehranfar focuses a family’s daily life, determined by the care of the animals. In a video statement recorded for the Kurzfilmtage Channel, Mehranfar describes the making of the film and why he decided not to remain a mere observer, but to tell a story together with his protagonists. Bareha Dar Barf Bedonya Miayand was re-screened at the 68th International Short Film Festival Oberhausen in a programme dedicated to Peter Nestler, who had championed the film as a member of the jury in 1990. The 16mm award-winner print that remained in the Oberhausen archive was digitised for that occasion.

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