Amnesia by Mohsen Makhmalbaf

1 – An Apartment in a Residential Building – Day:

A blind middle-aged man, from the darkness of his room, reaches the living room of his apartment on the 17th floor of a residential building in central Tehran and opens the curtains on the windows. Light comes into the darkness of the apartment. The man stands by the window facing the city and although blind, he seems to be looking at the view. A moment later he opens the window and the sound of city bustle pours in. The man takes a deep breath, turns away from the window, finds his trousers and blazer and hollers for his wife at the same time.

Blind man: Elaheh! Elaheh!

The woman does not respond and as the blind man calls his wife, he searches for something that he fails to find. He knocks on the door to a room and then turns the knob with his searching hand and opens it.

B. Man: Where are you Elaheh?

No response. Blind man gently moves his cane to the sides and touches the double bed but does not find his wife.
B. Man: Where are you sleeping at Elaheh?

He leaves the room and goes to another room. Here too he continues searching with his cane. He touches on every chair.

B. Man: Elaheh sweetheart, where did you get lost again?

He then goes to the apartment bathrooms and checks every tub, toilet and showers and keeps sweet talking his wife but she is nowhere around. Gradually, his voice gets louder and yells for his wife. He reaches the door to the balcony and becomes frightened to find the door open. He goes in the balcony and waves his cane in all directions. By the sound of the cane hitting the handrails on the balcony, a bird which is present in the balcony flies off to the sky.
Now the blind man grabs the railings and facing down towards the adjacent street yells his wife’s name.

B. Man: Elaheh! Elaheh!
The door bell rings. Blind man hastily comes back into the apartment and opens the entrance door. An old man, the building’s concierge stands at the doorway holding the arm of the blind man’s wife. She looks confused and perplexed.

Concierge: Hello Sir.
B. Man: Hello.

Concierge: Your wife came to the lobby since midnight last night wanting to go out but I stopped her. A couple of times I made her go back up on the elevator but she got lost on the floors and the neighbors brought her to the lobby to me. Please teach her your apartment number so she doesn’t disturb the neighbors. I knocked on your door twice but you were sleep and didn’t hear me.

B. Man: Sorry I take sleeping pills at nights and I didn’t hear you.

Woman: I want to go spit in the gutter.

Blind man grabs his wife’s arm and pulls her into the apartment. The woman walks like robots and looks astounded.

Concierge: (hands a scarf to B. man) her scarf had fallen off too. I picked it up.

Concierge leaves and blind man closes the door and ties the scarf on his wife’s head.
B. Man: Didn’t I tell you to tie your scarf with double knots so it doesn’t fall off? (and he pulls the scarf on her head and ties it under her chin) Have you seen my glasses?

Woman: I want to go spit in the gutter.

B. Man: Wait for the boy and I’ll have him walk you around in the street. Find my glasses now.

Woman starts walking around the apartment in wonder.

B. Man: See where you put my glasses.

Woman: Glasses…glasses.

B. Man: The one that has two pieces of glass and I put it over my eyes. (woman disappears in the rooms) Elaheh! Give me my glasses. I don’t want the boy to see my eyes without the glasses. You know the one that has two glasses and I put over my eyes.

Woman: (brings his glasses and rosary) I want to go spit in the gutter.

B. Man: Elaheh, you are driving me crazy. Instead of saying that you want to go spit in the gutter, say that your apartment is on the 17th floor.

Woman: Our house is on the (she forgets the rest of her sentence and repeats again) our house is on the…

B. Man: 17th floor.
Woman: 17thfloor.
B. Man: Our apartment is on the 17th floor.
Woman: Our apartment is on the 17th floor. I want to go spit in the gutter.
B. Man: Our house is on the 17th floor.
Woman: Our house… I want to go spit in the gutter.

B. Man: You are making me nuts. (He picks up the phone and dials the concierge) Hello, is this the lobby? Hi, excuse me but I am sending my wife down. Please take her out so she can spit in the gutter and have her back up by the elevator. She won’t quit unless she does that.

He hangs up the phone, grabs the woman’s arm and takes her out of the apartment.


2 – In front of the elevator – continued:

Blind man pushes the elevator button and waits.

B. Man: Where do you live?
Woman: I want to go spit in the gutter.
B. Man: I live on the 17th floor.
Woman: On the 17th floor.

Elevator door opens and blind man sends his wife in. He touches all floor numbers and pushes zero and before the door closes, asks her again.

B. Man: Where do you live?
Woman: I am on the 17th floor.

Elevator door closes.



3 – Inside elevator

Woman is in the elevator. Elevator goes down from the 17th floor and stops on the 14th floor. Door opens and enters a nicely dressed older man.

Man: Hello Madam, good morning.
Woman: I am on the 17th floor and want to go…
Man: Why did you push for lobby then?
Woman: I live on the 17th floor.
Man: Ok, let the elevator go down to ground floor first and I’ll push 17 for you.

Elevator reaches ground floor and before exiting, man pushes button 17.
Elevator door closes again and starts going up. It stops halfway up, the door opens and the janitor, a short man holding cleaning materials walks in.

Janitor: Are you going up or down?
Woman: I live on the 17th floor.
Janitor: I am going down.

And he exits the elevator. The door closes again and woman goes up again. Elevator stops at the 17th floor and door opens. A man and a woman from the apartment across walk into the elevator.

Man: Hello Madam, how’s your husband?
Other Woman: (quietly whispering to her husband) she has amnesia.

Elevator starts to go down again.

Woman: I live on the 17th floor. Where do I live? I live on the 17th floor.

Elevator stops midway down, door opens and the janitor gets in and looks at the woman in surprise.

Janitor: You keep going up and down for no reason. You’ll break the elevator. Where do you want to go anyways?
Other Woman: (quietly to the janitor) leave her alone, she is sick.

Elevator stops at ground floor and every one leaves. The concierge stands in front of the elevator. He enters and pulls the woman out.
Concierge: Where have you been? Come spit in the gutter and go back up.


4 – Lobby and in front of the building – continued:

The concierge grabs the woman by the arm and takes her out to the street by the gutter. Woman keeps standing in confusion.

Concierge: Go ahead, spit.

Woman stands perplexed and suddenly she starts walking. The concierge stands in her way.

Concierge: You’ll get lost alone. Spit in the gutter and go back up.
Woman: I live on the 17th floor.
Concierge: Your husband called and asked me to take you out to spit in the gutter. Hurry up, spit and go back home.
Woman: Glasses…find my glasses so the boy doesn’t see my eyes.
Concierge: Madam, please spit in the gutter or go home.

Woman waits in wonder. Concierge grabs her arm and forces her towards the building but she refuses to go.

Woman: Find my glasses so the boy doesn’t see my eyes.

Concierge drags her to the elevator, pushes her in, presses the 17th floor button and when the elevator door closes, returns to his post.
A newsboy walks in to the lobby through the entrance door carrying a lot of newspapers and magazines.

NewsBoy: Hello Sir.
Concierge: Hello.
NewsBoy: Can I go up?
Concierge: Where to?
NewsBoy: I have to distribute papers to the apartments.
Concierge: Put them in the mailboxes and they will pick it up. There has been robberies in the building and I am told not to let any strangers in.
NewsBoy: But afterwards I have to go to the 17th floor to help.
Concierge: Ok, go but hurry back.

The newsboy goes and stands in front of the elevator. Elevator door opens and he gets in.


5 – Inside elevator – continued:

The woman is in the elevator, confused.

NewsBoy: Hello Madam.
Woman: Where are you Elaheh?

The boy pushes the button for all floors. Elevator stops at 1st floor. Boy grabs the woman’s arm and places her in front of the door so it won’t close. Then he slides newspapers under the apartment doors on the 1st floor and comes back in. Again he repeats the same thing on the second floor so he can throw papers and come back.

Woman: Elaheh sweetheart, where did you disappear to again?
The elevator door closes. Fade out.


6 – Inside apartment number 17 – continued:

Blind man is sitting on the wooden chair. The newsboy is reading newspaper titles to him like an elementary school kid reading to his teacher.
B. Man: No, that one is not important. Read something else. (another article)

The boy reads other articles. Among them one with a title of ‘3 Universal Dreams’ catches the blind man’s attention. The boy reads the article for him.

Boy: (reading the paper as he stumbles) the world is moving towards realization of 3 dreams, secularization, liberalization and democratization.
B. Man: Cut it with scissors and fax it.

The boy cuts the article and places it on the fax machine. Blind man dials a number and pushes the send button.

B. Man: Some other articles by the same author have been published. He sounds like spies. He is probably a western agent. I don’t know why they don’t receive his articles when I fax them.
NewsBoy: What do the words he wrote mean?
B. Man: They are nonsense. Don’t memorize what you read to me because it’s dangerous for you. Tear it up and throw in the garbage can.

The newsboy rips the faxed paper but instead of throwing it in the garbage can, he puts it in his pocket. The intercom rings. Blind man stands in front of a closed circuit monitor. A young man’s face shows in the monitor.

B. Man: Who is it?
Man on the monitor: The driver.
Blind man goes in front of the mirror, fixes his clothes and puts on a rimmed hat.

B. Man: (asking newsboy) do I look alright?

The boy from behind him looks at him in the mirror and fixes his collar.

NewsBoy: There you go.

Blind man takes the sleeping pills box out of his pocket and looks for his wife.
B. Man: Where are you Elaheh?
NewsBoy: She is sleeping on the bed.
B. Man: (to the boy) bring a glass of water.

And he sits by the bed and puts a sleeping pill in his wife’s mouth.

B. Man: Take this. It’s valium. It will make you sleep so until I return you won’t get bored.

Woman takes the pill and boy hands the glass of water to blind man. Blind man holds the glass to her mouth for her to drink. Water runs down from the sides of her lips on to her clothes and the bed. Then the blind man lays her down.

B. Man: Sleep right here and keep telling yourself that you want to sleep until you fall sleep.
Woman: I want to see my son. Who took him to jail?
B. Man: Say; “I want to sleep.”
Woman: Who took him to jail?

Blind man and the boy leave the apartment.



7 – Elevator, lobby and in front of the building door – continued:

Blind man and the boy who’s only left with a couple of newspapers are in the elevator.

B. Man: Do you know how many newsboys I have changed so far?
NewsBoy: No Sir.
B. Man: You are the 7th one. Do you know why?
NewsBoy: So we don’t get rude.
B. Man: It’s for your own sake because I am afraid you would get unfortunate like my own son.

They leave the elevator on the ground floor. The blind man holds a cane in his right hand which he moves to the right and left to avoid clashing with people and objects and he holds a large beaded rosary in his left hand.

B. Man: I used to have eyes like you. In the war with Iraq I was picking up the chemically wounded people until I lost my own eyes too.

They exit the building and walk towards the car waiting for the blind man.
Once the blind man gets in the car the boy closes the door.

NewsBoy: Good bye Sir, I’ll come tomorrow.
B. Man: Wait. (He holds his head out the window) Take that ripped newspaper out of your pocket and hand it to me. (Newsboy takes the crumpled pieces of paper and hands them to the blind man) I have to look for the 8th one.
NewsBoy: I am sorry Sir.
B. Man: (twists the boy’s ear) my son used to help me for years to collect infected materials from newspapers but he became infected himself. I kept telling him not to memorize the stuff we read in the papers but he secretly kept reading those until he memorized them. Now he is rotting in some prison.
(He lets go of the boy’s ear)

Car drives away.


8 – Car in the streets of Tehran – Day:

The car drives in the streets.

B. Man: How long will it take?
Driver: With this traffic it will take an hour.
B. Man: Did they send anything to listen to from the office?
Driver: A piece of music.

And he turns the car stereo on. Sound of music with a woman singing is
Heard.

B. Man: How many speakers?
Driver: 12.
B. Man: Eliminate the woman’s voice. It’s religiously prohibited.

Driver presses a button and the woman singer’s voice is eliminated. Blind man concentrates on the music for a few moments. Voices of women back vocals are heard.
B. Man: Eliminate the back vocals. Women’s voice is provocative.

Driver pushes another button and back vocals are eliminated. Now the music goes on without any human voices.

B. Man: Raise the speaker volume for string instruments.

The sound of string instruments that make the music colorful comes up. Among them the sound of Qaychak (a Persian string instrument) is distinct.

B. Man: Eliminate the sound of string instruments. They say whoever listens to music in this world will be deprived of music in heaven.

Driver presses a button and the sound of string instruments is caught off. Now only the sound of music base or the drumbeats are heard. That sound only induces a feeling of war.

Driver: But is there music in heaven, Sir?
B. Man: When a gentle breeze blows on the tree leaves, celestial music is heard.
Driver: What do you think of this piece?
B. Man: Only this part is legitimate but even if this part were not played God would be more satisfied with us.


9 – Office and the room for film censorship – day:

Blind man goes up the stairs and passes a corridor. Men carrying film rolls and boxes up to their neck, pass by him. Blind man enters a room.
B. Man: Hello every one.
There’s no answer.

B. Man: No one is here yet?
Projectionist: You are the first one as usual.
B. Man: A true pious man should be on time. They say in order to topple the Iranian regime, the American president wakes up before dawn every morning but to protect our regime, it is 10 o’clock and we haven’t started work yet.
Projectionist: Everyone informed that they wouldn’t be coming in. They have all gone to an urgent meeting. You will review the films on your own.
B. Man: Start then.

The projector is turned on and its light reflects on the blind man’s face. The projectionist sits next to the blind man.

B. Man: What’s today’s movie?
Projectionist: There are pieces of films that were censored after the revolution. The films’ directors have requested for re-examination of their films and get showing permission if possible, now that the political ambiance is more open.

On screen the censored pieces are shown one by one and the projectionist describes everything that the blind man can not distinguish by the sounds like the titles, director’s name, cast, actors’ movements or women’s dress codes as to who is naked and who is not.

Projectionist: This one is an Afghan movie. The scene of a woman being stoned by men. The rock hit the woman’s head, blood spurted out. A stone hit the woman’s eye. Her eye popped out. Now she is dying. The voice of the stoned woman is heard.
B. Man: The whore deserves to be stoned but it is not advisable to show these scenes.
Projectionist: This one is an Iranian movie. They have put the fingers of a thief under the guillotine. The blade fell down. His fingers are scattered on the ground, and moving.

The voice of the man whose fingers are caught off is heard.

B. Man: A thief’s hand must be caught off for people to get scared of stealing but the showing of the film does not deem proper.
Projectionist: This is a Japanese film.
B. Man: Is it by Kurosawa?
Projectionist: It is called ‘Tokyo Story’.
B. Man: It’s by Ozu.
Projectionist: An old man and a woman are sitting apart talking to each other. It is a casual scene. They are talking out of loneliness.
B. Man: The film is ok but the director is not. They say Ozu made films from dawn to dusk and used to drink alcohol with his friends all night long. He had requested that when he died the word ‘nothing’ be inscribed on his grave stone instead of his name and stuff. Showing of a nihilist director’s film is not advisable.
Projectionist: This one is a French film.
B. Man: Is it by Godard or Truffaut?
Projectionist: It is called ‘Fahrenheit 451’. They are burning books in a scene and an old woman is among the books to burn with them.
B. man: They say this film is about the death of literature by cinema and TV. But any one who watches it here in Iran will think it is against censorship so it’s not wise to show it.
Projectionist: This is Jack Nicholson.
B. Man: Is it ‘One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest’?
Projectionist: He breaks the window and escapes from the mental hospital.
B. Man: No, no it’s too provocative.
Projectionist: Anthony Quinn.
B. Man: In ‘Zorba the Greek’, Kazantzakis’s novel or Fellini’s ‘La Strada’?

Anthony Quinn’s picture is on the screen.

Anthony Quinn: Jelsomina! Jelsomina!
B. Man: When I had my eyes, I used to love Jelsomina’s acting.
Projectionist: Jelsomina was Fellini’s real wife. Did you hear that she died a few days after Fellini past away?

A scene from Fellini’s ‘La Strada’. Jelsomina is sick and dying.

B. Man: What do you suggest we do? Do you think it can be shown without any problems?
Projectionist: Yes because both the director and the actor have died. What threat can the dead pose?
B. Man: Write down Fellini is dead and it’s ok to show it.
Projectionist: Marlon Brando.
B. Man: O my God it’s the ‘Godfather’. Who rejected this film? I voted positive on it. This film is anti-Italian mafia. We have no mafia in Iran. Here everything is in the hands of the government. Which Godly man has rejected my favorite Godfather?

A scene of ‘Godfather’ is on screen. Blind man gets restless by excitement.

B. Man: Don’t stop it. Let me see. I really missed this film.
Projectionist: Nostalgia by Tarkovski.
B. Man: The boring Russian philosopher. The Russians never advanced after Eisenstein neither in economics and politics nor in art. Only that Armenian was good, Parajanov. But if he weren’t a homosexual I would let the ‘Color of Pomegranate’ to be shown.
Projectionist: Mira Nair from India. A woman worships her husband instead of making love to him.
B. Man: No, reject it.
Projectionist: The Blackboard by Samira Makhmalbaf.
B. Man: No, it’s rejected. The girl’s father makes all her movies Iranian girls do not possess such merits. I am exhausted. Now that no one is here, let me watch ‘Godfather’ from the beginning till the end.

The projectionist leaves and the soundtrack of ‘Godfather’ is heard. The light on the screen reflects on the blind man’s face. The scene fades out.


10 – Club for the Blind – Day

The club for the blind is situated in a park. Blind men, mostly wearing rimmed hats and holding canes with some smoking, have gathered around each other. One of them stands on a higher plateau giving a speech to other blind men.
Speaker: According to recent statistics 45 million blinds exist in the world today. The world’s population is 6 billion; therefore, one out of every 133 persons is blind. That shows firstly, that we are not alone and that almost one percent of the world’s population are visually impaired but instead they smell the world better and hear the sounds better.

The blind man keeps searching among other blinds and finally finds his friend.
B. Man: Hello, you are here.
B. Man’s friend: Hi, You are late.
B. Man: You are not wearing cologne today, I couldn’t find you.

The blind man stands next to his friend and listens to the speaker.
Speaker: The Blinds Club has arranged a trip to nature for its members. Those who are interested in coming with us to smell and listen to the nature for two days can contact us by phone. These two days will be a good opportunity for us to smell the plants and flowers instead of traffic and smog and listen to the ocean waves instead of honking cars.

Blind man: (whispers to his friend’s ear) did you get permission for me to visit my son?
B. Man’s friend: No, unfortunately the judge has prohibited any visitation.
B. Man: I am going crazy. I lost my eyes for this regime. I have fought with mental infections for years. My son also got infected because of his own mental defilement. Aren’t I or he allowed some kind of privilege?
B. Man’s friend: I told the judge all that but he said whoever has turned their back on us deserves even harsher punishment than a milder sentence.
B. Man: (becomes angry) what are you saying? If a nurse becomes infected in an AIDS hospital is she considered a criminal or is she a victim of unsanitary conditions? My son has helped me for years to identify infected books and films and I was too stupid to realize that he was just a kid and could become influenced but if he has become infected now, at least he helped thousands of young people like himself not to get infected.
Speaker: Friends, please be quiet or if you have a say, please address it to all. You are talking about infection. I agree with you. The air and the rush of new sounds in this city has made living conditions unbearable not only for humans but for all living beings. We all need the nature.
B. Man’s friend: I’ll come over your house tonight and we’ll talk. May be I can find you a way.
Blind man: Will you promise?
B. Man’s friend: I promise.
B. Man: I am glad, thank you.


11 – The 17th Floor Apartment – Night

Blind man opens the apartment door and enters. He looks happy.
B. Man: Jelsomina! Jelsomina!

No one answers. Blind man goes to the bedroom and touches the bed... His wife is sleep on the bed.
B. Man: Jelsomina! Jelsomina! Wake up. There’s a way to visit our son. Please wake up.

The woman is still sleep from the sleeping pill. Blind man goes to the bathroom, wets a small towel under the faucet, squeezes the extra water out and returns to the room and wets his wife’s face with the towel to wake her up.
Blind man: Elaheh sweetheart, in which one of your dreams have you been lost? Wake up.

The door bell rings and blind man goes to open it. It is his blind friend.

B. Man’s friend: I came early.
B. Man: You did the right thing.
B. Man’s friend: You were really angry.
B. Man: I had the right to. I am still angry. I lost my eyes for this regime. My son was infected [politically] because of this regime and now I am deprived of even one visit to him.

Blind man’s friend with his direction is now sitting on the couch and blind man is facing him.

B. Man: What do you want to eat?
B. Man’s friend: Nothing, just sit down. Listen our situation is special and hard to understand for others. We are blind which means we are among the one percent blinds on earth. How many censors do you think there are among the 45 million blinds? Perhaps just two. You and I. For years you tried to save people’s kids from mental infection but your own son became infected. This is a completely exceptional situation. How many people can understand this situation?
B. Man: But the judge has to understand me. The judge and I walk on the same beach. If the sea becomes stormy he and I will drown in the same sea.
B. Man’s friend: Would you believe that the judge’s son is also infected and another judge has issued his death sentence.

Blind man keeps silent. He is distressed. Then he gets up to do something but sits down again.

B. Man’s friend: But there is one chance. I have to take a risk. You come to my office in the prison. And I’ll let you talk on an internal phone line with your son.
B. Man: When?
B. Man’s friend: Tomorrow but under one condition.
B. Man: What condition?
B. Man’s friend: Let’s go with the club for two days and get some fresh air.
B. Man: I will if I see my son.

The woman has woken up and her knotted scarf has turned around on her head with the knot above.

Woman: I want the wet stuff.
B. Man: She wants water. (He gets up) What do you want to drink?

He goes and pours water in a glass for his wife and holds it to her mouth. Water runs down the sides of her lips.

B. Man’s friend: I am leaving but if we go on the trip, who will you leave your wife with?
B. Man: With the same newsboy who reads the papers for me.
B. Man’s friend: Is it safe?
B. Man: He is becoming infected. I have to change him.
B. Man’s friend: The office should require anyone who wants permit to publish his book to get a copy in Braille so you can read on your own.
B. Man: The poets and novelists record their texts on tape and I listen to them. Come here.

Blind man grabs his friend’s hand and takes him to a shelf filled with tapes.

B. Man: I have the greatest treasure of novels and poems with the voice of the novelists and poets. 70 percent of these are one of a kind because they have never received permission to be published. Do you want to listen?
And he puts a tape in the tape deck and the voice of a poetess is heard. The woman wanders around the apartment.

Woman: I want to go spit in the gutter.
Voice of poetess: I speak of the ultimate night
I speak of the ultimate darkness
And the ultimate night
If you come to my house, bring me O kind, a light
And a small hatch through which
I can view the crowd in the fortunate street.



12 – Car in the street and by the prison – next day

Blind man is sitting in the car and the cab driver takes him.
B. Man: Stop right here.

The car stops and blind man pays the cab driver and walks the rest of the way to the prison.


13 – Prison visiting room, continued:

The blind man’s friend holds the hand set to the blind man’s ear and holds another one to his own ear and dials a number. At the sound of the blind man’s son’s voice a tape recorder starts rolling.

B. Man’s friend: Hello, do you hear me?
B. Man’s son’s voice: Yes.
B. Man’s friend: Your father is here. Go ahead, talk.
Blind man becomes excited and instead of speaking holds his chest with his hand.

B. Man: O my heart, my heart!
B. Man’s friend: Did you bring your Nitro?
Blind man takes out a Nitroglycerin pill and places it under his tongue. His friend helps him lay down on the couch. The tape rolls on the deck.

B. Man’s friend: Can you hear my voice?
Voice of B. Man’s son: Yes.
B. Man’s friend: Wait a few moments for your father to get better so he can talk to you.
B. Man: Can I just talk lying down?
B. Man’s friend: If you feel better, speak. Your son can hear you.
B. Man: Hello Son.
B. Man’s son: Hello Dad.
B. Man: Are you ok?
B. Man’s son: I don’t know.
B. Man: I had to go through so much trouble to get this chance to talk to you. So let me talk before it gets late. If you love me redeem yourself of the words you said and the things you did.
B. Man’s son: I love you as my father. But my death is the atonement of your sins. I want to cleanse you of all your sins with my death.
B. Man: (starts crying) If you don’t love me think of your mother.
B. Man’s son: Mother has such amnesia that she hasn’t remembered me for years. Mom is now fortunate because she has no memory. One suffers more from his memories than the bullet wound.
B. Man: Can’t you for my sake, for your mother and your future’s sake express regret for the poems you wrote?
B. Man’s son: For me it is difficult to stay alive and bear all those poems that you aborted in their poets’ wombs.
B. Man: I am surprised. You never had a talent in writing poems. All these poems included in your file as your crime are a lie. Some one has plotted it against you.
B. Man’s son: I didn’t have a talent for poetry. All the poems I read were written by other people and you stopped them from being published. I just memorized those poems. My mother tried to forget your actions and she kept taking Valiums and then she forgot everything and I instead, tried to preserve everything. All those unpublished novels and poems (and he starts reading poems)
One day again we will find our pigeons.
And kindness will hold the hands of beauty.
A day on which the shortest melody will be a kiss.
And every man
For every man
Will be a brother.
A day on which nobody will close his door.
Locks will be legends.
And hearts
Will be enough for living
A day on which every word will mean love.
So you will not search a word to say the last word.

Blind man cries and his friend hangs up the phone and turns the tape deck off. Blind man puts another nitro under his tongue, holds his heart and breathes with difficulty. His friend tries to erase the recorded tapes.

B. Man’s friend: It is better I erase these tapes so his crime won’t get intensified. I thought he would express some remorse that I could present to the judge to lower his sentence.





14 – Ambulance in the Street, Day:

The ambulance carrying the blind man drives in the streets with sirens on. Inside, blind man who’s come down with a heart attack and breath shortness is lying down with oxygen mask over his face and IV in his arm. B. Man’s friend is sitting next to him worried and the nurse is taking his blood pressure.
B. Man: I can’t breathe. I am choking.


15 – Hospital Emergency Room – Continued:

Ambulance stops in front of the hospital and the para meds take the blind man into the hospital on a stretcher bed. B. Man’s friend tries to catch up with them. Inside the ER they perform an electrocardiogram on the blind man and the doctor checks the graph.

B. Man’s friend: Doctor, how is his heart beating?
Doctor: It’s stressed. Whoever’s heart beats irregularly they are brought to us. Luckily it’s not a heart attack. It’s just out of stress.
B. Man’s friend: What should be done now?
Doctor: I’ll prescribe some tranquilizers so he forgets disturbing memories but he needs to rest and take a trip. He has no physical problems.
B. Man’s friend: Can I take him now?
Doctor: Yes.

Blind man’s friend grabs blind man’s arm and takes him with him.


16 – The building lobby – Next day:

The newsboy arrives with a bunch of newspapers and magazines.
NewsBoy: Hello Sir.
Concierge: Where are you going?
NewsBoy: To the floor to distribute papers.
Concierge: Why don’t you put them in their mailboxes for them to pick up?
NewsBoy: Well I have to go to the 17th floor to help.
Concierge: Be back soon. There’s been a robbery in the complex and I’ve been told not to let strangers in.
NewsBoy: Ok Sir.

And he runs towards the elevator and gets in it.



17 – Apartment on the 17th floor – An hour later:

The boy is standing in the bathroom.
B. Man: Take your clothes off and wash yourself. You are so dirty you stink.

The boy takes out some of his clothes. Underneath he has covered his body with newspaper.
B. Man: Take off all your clothes.
NewsBoy: But these are not clothes.

Blind man touches the boy’s body and feels the papers.

B. Man: What are these?
NewsBoy: Newspaper. At nights when I sleep in the streets I wrap newspapers around me so I won’t freeze.
B. Man: Take them off and go in the tub.

The boy takes the papers off and sits in the tub.
B. Man: Read the newspaper’s titles let me see what date they were written.
NewsBoy: America can not even occupy one meter of Iraqi soil.
B. Man: This is yesterday’s paper (he opens the shower over the boy’s head and with his other hand pours shampoo) as the British say nothing is older than yesterday’s paper. These papers belong to last year.

Blind man hands the boy a towel to dry up and then gives him some boys clothing.

B. Man: These used to be my son’s clothes. I thought they may fit you. I want to go on a trip and I want you to stay with my wife.
NewsBoy: Ok Sir.
B. Man: Buy her food and if she makes a fuss take her out but watch for her not to get lost. When you go out stick this on her back. (And he hands him their address)
NewsBoy: (dressed in the new clothes looking neat) Ok Sir.
Blind man: Don’t touch anything in the house either.
NewsBoy: Excuse me Sir but if I want to call your wife by what name should I call her?
Blind man: Anything cause it makes no difference to her.
NewsBoy: What do you call her by?
Blind man: Last time I called her Jelsomina and she liked it. She opened her eyes in bed and said that she wanted some wet. Remember that means water.



18 – Bus in the green forest route to North – days:

The bus carrying the blind members from the Blinds Club is moving on the road. Blind man is sitting next to his blind friend. Passenger all sing a song together.
Passengers: Yes life is beautiful
Life is a long standing fire temple.
If you light it up the dances of its flames are visible in every shore.
Otherwise it is remote and remoteness is our fault.
Yes, yes, yes, yes life is beautiful.

Then there is silence and the bus passes through trees covered with autumn leaves.

B. Man’s friend: It had been a long time since I last saw the forest.
B. Man: Me too.
Another B. Man: What color is the forest now?
B. Man’s friend: The forest is green.
B. Man: No, it is yellow because it’s autumn.
Other B. Man: What is yellow like?
B. Man’s friend: Were you blind by birth?
Other B. Man: Yes I have no reference of colors. I only know darkness.
B. Man’s friend: Yellow is like passion. Like love.
B. Man: I think yellow is like sorrow. Autumn is melancholic too.
Other B. Man: Are men warm colors or cold?
B. Man’s friend: Warm.
Other B. Man: Then why is it like sorrow? Sorrow is cold. When I get sad my hands and feet freeze.
B. Man’s friend: You know yellow is special. There’s one kind of sorrow that’s warm like the burning of the heart which is both sad and hot.
B. Man: Let me read you a song so you’ll get a better sense. (He starts singing)
I am sad as the autumn; spare me
I am a sad poem; spare me.
Leave me O moon I am exhausted.
Spare me and leave me with my broken heart.
Leave me to burn with my broken heart
To burn in the sorrow of this futile love.



19 – Streets of Tehran – same day:

The newsboy holds a bunch of newspapers and walks and shouts.

NewsBoy: UN warning against nuclear disarmament of Iran. The danger of Taliban returning to Afghanistan. The breaking of the ozone layer.

The passers by buy newspapers from the boy and the boy holds the blind man’s wife’s hand and takes her with him. The woman, like a clockwork doll, confused and perplexed, is caught up with the fate that the boy is figuring out for her. A detailed address is written on her back requesting the finder to return her to her home.

Woman: What’s a prison?
NewsBoy: A bunch of bars where criminals are thrown behind them.
Woman: What’s a prison?
NewsBoy: I told you once and won’t say it again.
Woman: What’s a prison?
NewsBoy: Why don’t you spit in the gutter and stop asking what a prison is.

And he takes her by the gutter and in order to teach the woman how to spit, he spits in it.
Woman: What’s a prison?
NewsBoy: Prison is iron bars. They throw people behind them. Get it?
Woman: Get it…get it…get it.

The newsboy and the woman move further away and the boy loudly announces newspaper titles.


20 – Park – continued:

Some park in the city. The park is crowded with people but silence rules in it and nothing is heard except the sound of birds. The people are talking to each other but since all are deaf no sound is produced by them. The woman in every moment stops in wonder in front of the talking people and gazes at their silent conversations.

Woman: I have forgotten all sounds.

Newsboy gets busy selling papers to the deaf people and by showing the papers, encourages them to buy. He forgets about the woman. The woman gets lost in the park. For a moment the woman stops behind the park fences (bars) and looks at the city from behind the bars.
Woman: What is a prison?

The newsboy suddenly realizes that he has lost the woman. He runs in all directions to find her but she is nowhere near sight.

NewsBoy: (from passers by) have you seen a woman walking alone with a paper stuck on her back?
1st passer by: No.
2nd passer by: She went to the right.
3rd passer by: No.
4th passer by: She went to the left.



21 – Streets of Tehran – continued:

The woman wanders in vain in every direction and the wind blows away-by now-the loosely hanging paper on her back. Once even when she attempts to cross the street she almost gets hit by a car but escapes the danger when the car makes a sudden break. The driver sticks his head out the window and yells but she does not react and only looks at him in wonder. And she continues on her way.

Woman: (to herself) Elaheh sweetheart, where have you disappeared to?

The newsboy anxiously runs in the streets extremely terrified that he has lost the woman. He yells her name in every street and alley.

NewsBoy: Jelsomina! Jelsomina!

No news of Jelsomina.





22 – At the beach – day:

The group of blind men have gathered at the beach and every two are sitting together. Blind man and his friend are next to each other.

B. Man’s friend: Are you feeling better?
B. Man: Yes I am.
B. Man’s friend: What do you hear?
B. Man: The melody of sea waves. Nature is heaven.

A while passes in silence and only the harmonious sound of waves is heard. With every wave, drops of water sprinkle on the faces of the blind man and his friend.

B. Man: I am anticipating an accident.
B. Man’s friend: What kind of an accident?
B. Man: A natural phenomenon like the rain. I feel that the sky is gloomy and needs to rain. When it rains it seems as if nature is crying. Then it seems that nature’s sorrows are washed away and she becomes happy.
B. Man’s friend: I like it too after it rains. Sometimes I think we are very lucky not to have eyes. Those who do can not hear the sounds like we do. Imagine, can those who have eyes hear the sound of rain’s footsteps?
B. Man: When one’s eyes are open, the world does not seem so mysterious. You know when I did have my eyes I didn’t have as much faith in God as I do now. Back then I knew God but now I can see Him. He is the light in the darkness.
B. Man’s friend: I disagree with you. Seeing and not seeing are two kinds of living. Many times when something is seen it becomes demystified but sound is like India, full of mysteries. I wish I were a hippie, traveled the world around and looked for God’s footsteps.
Voice of the blinds’ coach: Friends, we have come here to hear the sound of nature. The world has words with us that we can not hear unless we keep silent. Fill your lungs with oxygen.

On the faces of the blinds, the sounds of harmonious sea waves, seagulls, the footsteps of water drops, and the sound of passing breeze is heard. Sometimes the sound of a blind man’s deep breath adds to all other sounds.
Now all of the blinds stand facing the sea and sing together. From the depth of the sea waves come towards them.

Blinds: Yes, yes, yes, yes life is beautiful.
Life is a long standing fire temple.
If you light it, the dances of its flames are visible in every shore.
Otherwise it is remote and remoteness is our fault.

Fade out.



23 – Streets and the Park – Next day:

Blind man, his friend, the newsboy and the driver are sitting in the car. Newsboy is crying.

B. Man’s friend: If she was lost in the park she shouldn’t have gone too far.
B. Man: If she stayed in the street last night she has frozen to death. She can’t stand the cold.

They get off the car and search everywhere in the park where the deaf had gathered.
B. Man: (yells in every direction) Elaheh! Elaheh!

But his wife is nowhere near sight. They get in the car again and search the streets. The cell phone of the blind man’s friend rings and his face becomes happy after hearing what the other party has to say.

B. Man’s friend: Go to the hospital for Alzheimer patients.

And the driver speeds up.




24 – The Alzheimer Hospital – An hour later:

Emergency room. Doctor explains to them.

Doctor: Any one found in the streets is first taken to the police station and if he/she has Alzheimer they are brought to us until their family shows up. One of you please come and identify your patient.
B. Man: I’ll come myself.

Newsboy and blind man’s friend wait and blind man and the doctor enter a room.
Doctor: They found this woman on the railroad last night. She was lucky that before she was crashed by the train, the railroad guard saved her.
B. Man: Elaheh, sweetheart is that you? (Woman opens her eyes but does not answer) Elaheh, please answer me. (she doesn’t answer) Can I touch her? My hands know her well.

He goes forward and tries to find the woman on the bed and touch her.
Woman: (suddenly screams) don’t touch me you filth. He wants to rape me.

Blind man is taken aback by her scream and realizes that the voice was not his wife’s.
B. Man: This is not my wife.

Doctor calms the woman and they exit the room and enter another room.

Doctor: They saved this woman from rabid stray dogs last night. Unfortunately a part of her hand…it’s not important. She quickly received rabies vaccination.
B. Man: Elaheh dear, what on earth happened to you? (woman is silent) Doctor I’m afraid to touch her. Just let me smell her. I know my wife’s smell very well.

He approaches and smells the woman. The woman also smells him.

B. Man: She is not my wife.

Blind man goes out and the doctor leaves with him and they go to another room.

Doctor: This woman had fallen sleep against a park fence. Fortunately she is not hurt t all.

Blind man smells her and then touches her with his hands.

B. Man: Elaheh, Elaheh where were you lost dear?
Woman: I have forgotten all sounds.
B. Man: How could you have forgotten my voice? Jelsomina, Jelsomina.
Woman: I want to go spit in the gutter.
B. Man: Let’s go.

He grabs her under the arm, raises her from the bed and brings her out with him.



25 – Car in the streets of Tehran – Next day:

Blind man is sitting in the front seat and the office driver takes him around in the streets.

Driver: There’s a newsboy over there.
B. Man: Call him to come over.
Driver: Newspaper, newspaper, come here.
The newsboy gets the money for the paper he just sold and rushes over to the blind man’s car.

Boy: What paper do you want?
B. Man: Come to this side.

Boy passes by the front of the car and reaches the blind man.

Boy: Which paper did you want?
B. Man: What’s your name?
Boy: Ali.
B. Man: How far have you gone in school?
Boy: None.
B. Man: You mean you can’t read the papers?
Boy: No.
B. Man: Nothing then, leave.
Boy: Don’t you want any papers?

Traffic light has turned green and the car starts moving. They search the streets again. In another street they find another newsboy. Driver calls him. Boy comes forward. Driver asks him to go to the blind man’s side.

B. Man: What’s your name?
Boy: Hello Sir I am Hussein.
B. Man: How are you Hussein?
Hussein: Fine Sir. Don’t you want me to come and read the papers for you?
B. Man: No you have become naughty. I want a new boy.
Hussein: My brother is new Sir.
B. Man: No I want a completely new one. Good bye Hussein, take care.

Car drives away and in another street they find another boy. The boy goes towards the blind man at the driver’s signal.

B. Man: What’s your name?
Boy: Abbas.
B. Man: How old are you?
Boy: 10.
B. Man: Can you read and write?
Abbas: Yes Sir.
B. Man: Can you read the newspaper?
Abbas: Yes Sir.
B. Man: Read some let me hear.

Abbas starts reading newspaper titles when the cars behind them honk their horns.

B. Man: Get in we are blocking the road.

Abbas opens the back door and gets in the car and keeps reading the titles.

Abbas: Reforms’ defeat, right wing victory in elections. People refuse to go to the polls.
B. Man: Do you say your prayer?
Abbas: No Sir.
B. Man: Why not Son?
Abbas: I have no time.
B. Man: That’s not a good excuse.
Abbas: I don’t know how either.
B. Man: Will you say it if I teach you?
Abbas: No Sir.
B. Man: Why not?
Abbas: I don’t have time Sir. I have to support my family. By the time I finish saying my prayer I will have sold 10 newspapers.
B. Man: If I pay you to read me papers at home will you promise to say your prayer?
Abbas: How much will you pay?
B. Man: How much are you making now?
Abbas: 1500 tomans a day.
B. Man: I’ll pay you 2000 tomans every day.
Abbas: It’s too little Sir.
B. Man: But 2000 is more 1500.
Abbas: Sir I only read papers here. There I have to say my prayer too.
B. Man: (laughs) you are some businessman!
Abbas: Sir, a businessman is God’s friend.
B. Man: (to driver) Go, he is too smart. He is no good.

Car leaves and in another intersection voice of another newsboy is heard loudly reading newspaper titles.

Driver: Should I call him?
B. Man: He is Mohsen. The third one who used to read for me. He was infected (politically) and spent a few months in jail too.

The car drives away and disappears in the city.



26 – Censorship office and room – another day:

Blind man passes several halls and enters the film censorship room.

B. Man: Hello friends.
Some people: Hello to Mr. on time.
B. Man: Sorry my wife was not feeling well. I was looking for someone to leave her with.
Projectionist: Can I start now?
B. Man: Let’s go.
The showing room becomes dark and the projector light on screen reflects on their faces as well. The projectionist after turning the projector on reaches the blind man to explain to him what he sees on screen.

Projectionist: A woman leaves her house and puts on a mask.
Some one’s voice: This is a symbolic scene. The director wants to say that you can’t breathe in this society.
Projectionist: The woman enters a street filled with smog (smoke). She waits for the cab and points to a direction with her hand.
B. Man: Which direction does she point to?
Projectionist: To the right.
Someone’s voice: No it’s to the left. It’s her right and our left.
B. Man: The director wants to say that the society’s salvation lies in going to the left. That scene has to come out.
Projectionist: Woman faints because of so much smog (smoke) in the street. Now an ambulance arrives and two masked nurses take her into the ambulance.
Someone’s voice: The director means that we take liberals to prison by ambulance.
B. Man: No he wants to say that the soup is so salty that even the cook has started complaining. Why are the nurses wearing masks? Because the regime also knows that this society is no place to breathe.
This scene has to come out too.
Someone’s voice: What do you mean it has to come out? This film should be banned and its director arrested.
B. Man: Don’t rush it let’s see it all the way.

The phone rings and the projectionist picks up the phone and speaks slowly and then hands the phone to blind man.

Projectionist: It’s for you.
B. Man: Yes, is it you? Now? I am reviewing films now. Is it urgent? Ok, I am coming (he gets up) Excuse me but I have to go friends.
And he leaves the room.



27 – Streets – a moment later:

Blind man and his friend are walking in the streets.

B. Man’s friend: The judge’s secretary called and said that the judge has time for 15 minutes and we can go there. I said ok but I looked everywhere for you. Let’s hurry and catch up with him.
B. Man: I’ll beg the judge and will tell him that because of all the service I gave to this regime they should grant me my child back or at least lower his sentence.
B. Man’s friend: Don’t act like the judge owes you anything. Try to raise his sympathy. Tell him you only have one child and you became sterile after the war and if that child dies then no pious man will remain of your generation.
B. Man: In the same way that the law exempts the only child of an older family from being drafted, it should provide privileges for those whose only child has committed a crime.

They walk hastily in the street and jostle passers by. The cell phone of blind man’s friend rings.

B. Man’s friend: Yes…hi, we are almost there. (It seems that he gets disappointed at what he hears and stops. Blind man who has continued walking realizes by his friend’s stop that he should stop too and he does so.) Isn’t there anyway that this old father can visit the judge for 5 minutes? Yes…when? Early morning in three days? Good bye.
B. Man: (Walks back) did he give us a morning appointment for three days later?
B. Man’s friend: In three days in the early morning your son will be…
B. Man: What do they want to do to my son?
B. Man’s friend: He said you should come too. Perhaps you can convince your son to redeem himself before his sentence is carried out.

Blind man faints.



28 – Ambulance in the streets – continued:

Ambulance carries blind man and his friend with sirens on. An oxygen mask is on the blind man’s face and an IV in his wrist. Nurse is checking his blood pressure.



29 – Hospital emergency room – continued:

Two Para meds take the blind man to the emergency room on a stretcher. An electrocardiogram is connected to the blind man’s chest.

B. Man’s friend: I don’t think it’s his heart. Last time you said it was stress.

Blind man complains of chest pain. Doctor controls the electrocardiograph.

Doctor: Give him a Nitro. It is a heart attack. Take him to CCU.

The ER personnel run around and rush the blind man over.

Fade out.



30 – The 17th floor apartment – 2 nights later:

It is past midnight. Blind man is sleeping on the bed next to his wife. He rolls in bed. It is obvious that he hasn’t slept all night. Clock rings. Blind man sits up in bed but does not turn the clock off. The ring goes off and now the phone rings. Blind man comes out of bed and picks up the phone.

B. Man: Hello…hi…yes, I am up. I’ll get dressed right away.
He hangs up the phone and comes after his wife and calla her name as he dresses.
B. Man: Elaheh! Elaheh! You have to get up. Today is a crucial day. Elaheh! (Then he raises his voice and shouts) Elaheh...Elaheh! (Then screams madly) Elaheh get up…get up.

He breaks objects nearby and by the sound of objects breaking, the woman sits up in bed, terrified.

B. Man: (grabs his wife’s hand and pulls her out of bed) you have to come. Our son doesn’t love me but he loves you. May be if he sees you, he will spare me too. Where is that thing you wrap around your head?
(And he starts looking around) I forget what it’s called.

He looks further and finds the scarf and ties it on his wife’s head.

B. Man: The judge refused to see me but he said if this morning our son
Expresses regret of the poems he wrote his sentence will be lowered from death penalty to life.

He grabs his wife’s hand and takes her out of the apartment.

31 – In front of the building – midnight:

Blind man’s friend and a driver are waiting in a car in front of the building. The concierge helps blind man and his wife get in the car. Car drives away.



32 – Car in the streets – night:

The car drives in the streets.

B. Man: Did you tell the judge that my son didn’t write those poems? That the poems are the same infected poems that I banned from being published? His crime is that he memorized other poets infected poems.

B. Man’s friend: Never mind that. We just have to press your son to say that he is sorry before his sentence is carried out. Did you bring your Nitro pills?
B. Man: I have taken so many valiums since last night that I feel dizzy and nauseated.

Car disappears in the streets.



33 – In front of the prison – night:

Car stops in front of the prison. Driver goes and knocks on prison door and says something. A moment later prison door opens and the car enters. Prison door closes.




34 – Inside prison area – Night and early morning:

Car has stopped inside the prison area. Driver and woman are sitting in the car and the two blind men are walking.

B. Man: (asks the driver) is it dawn yet?
Driver: (looks at the sky) any minute now.
B. Man: Then let me bring his mother too.

He brings his wife out. The woman wants to wander in different directions every moment but blind man is holding her hand not letting her get far. The cell phone of blind man’s friend rings.

Blind man’s friend: Hello…hi…we are here (to the blind man) Get ready they are bringing him. You have to talk to him quickly. Don’t waste any time.
Blind man: (to his wife) get yourself together. Our son is coming. You have to ask him to apologize.
Woman: (pulls herself back to leave) I want to go spit in the gutter.
B. Man: (gets dragged after his wife and brings her back) they are bringing your son. They want to execute him. Ask him to repent for your sake.
Woman: I know. I live on the 17th floor.
Driver: (comes out of the car) they are bringing your son.

Blind man drags his wife to his friend’s side and tries to prepare himself to speak. It seems that his son is getting close to them but we don’t see anything except the shadows of the boy and the guards taking him.
B. Man: I have brought your mother for you to see and if you don’t have mercy on me please spare her.
Boy’s voice: I died in my mother’s memory before all this.

Woman starts walking away. The shadow of the guards take the shadow of the boy and blind man holds his chest. Driver runs and takes blind man back to the car. Then he goes and brings the woman to the car. Blind man’s friend gets in the car on his own and the car speeds away.



35 – Streets – early morning:

The sun rises. Car drives in early morning light. Blind man coughs and feels nauseated.

Blind man’s friend: If you don’t feel well do you want us to stop at the roadside?

Car stops and blind man drags himself to the side of the gutter and coughs at first. Then he spits in the gutter and finally the sound of his barfing is heard. Blind man’s friend goes and brings him to the car. This time instead of sitting in the front, he sits by the blind man and rubs his back.

B. Man’s friend: Consent to God’s will.
Blind man: Last night I dreamt that I died. It was the doomsday. In a vast field a thousand people were bringing books on wheelbarrows and spreading them in the middle of the desert. Then everyone left and I was all alone. I wanted to go after the people but someone stopped me and asked: “Where are you going? You have to stay here and read all these books and take the infected parts out of them so God’s heaven will not become contaminated.”

B. Man’s friend: Stop suffering from your memories so much. You censored infected books for the sake of God.

Blind man takes the pill box out of his pocket and puts the pills in his mouth one by one and swallows.

B. Man’s friend: What is it you keep eating?
B. Man: I’ll eat so many valiums that I’ll forget everything.
Even God.


November 2003