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Chess of the Wind
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Wikipedia article
'Chess of the Wind' also titled 'The Chess Game of the Wind' is a 1976 Iranian film written and directed by Mohammad Reza Aslani. This film was released only once before the 1979 revolution in Iran and was accompanied by negative reception. But after being rediscovered in 2020, the film was released in different countries and was well received.
Synopsis
In an aristocratic family, the head of the family - Khanom Bozorg - dies. Her heir is Khanom Kouchak, a paralyzed girl. There is a dispute between the Khanom Kouchak, the maid, the nanny and the stepfather's nephews over the possession of the family wealth.
Cast
* Fakhri Khorvash
* Mohamad Ali Keshavarz
* Shohreh Aghdashloo
* Akbar Zanjanpour
* Shahram Golchin
* Hamid Taati
* Aghajan Rafii
* Anik Shefrazian
* Majid Habibpur
* Javad Javadi
* Javad Rajavar
* Ali Ahmadi
Inspiration and related works
Aslani cited Johannes Vermeer as an inspiration for daytime scenes and Georges de La Tour as inspiration for the nighttime scenes. Georges de La Tour's use of central light sources in his paintings, as well as his willingness to have portions of the painting either over- or under-exposed, intrigued him. Aslani also referenced 'Barry Lyndon's approach to light, but stressed that he and Kubrick are different directors with different attitudes. 'Chess of the Wind' includes film tinting reminiscent of some silent films.
Reception
* Hossein Eidizadeh wrote in Lola Journal:
Rediscovery
The original negatives were presumed lost, yet rediscovered by the director's children in a junk shop in 2014. Reception was positive after a restored film was screened in 2020. Robin Baker, head curator of the BFI National Archive said it will "impact" the "world film canon". Baker praised its "ambition", finding it "shocking" and unique in relation to film as well as Iranian culture.
As of 2021, Janus Films currently owns the North American distribution rights to the film.
See also
* 2020 Cannes Film Festival
References
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