The Cow (1969) at the Duke Screen Society

(Dariush Mehrjui, 1969, 104 min, Iran, Farsi with English subtitles, Digital)
Introduced by Bahman Maghsoudlou, director of Dariush Mehrjui: Making THE COW

One of the defining works of the Iranian New Wave, The Cow (1969) follows a farmer named Hassan, whose only source of joy and livelihood is his cow. When the cow is mysteriously killed one night, a metamorphosis ensues. Based on short stories by psychiatrist Gholam-Hossein Sa’edi, Mehruji’s landmark feature melds neorealism, surrealism, and mysticism in a deeply moving exploration of solitude, obsession, and grief. The Cow was funded by the Iranian government, yet was immediately banned after completion due to its negative portrayal of rural Iranian poverty. The film was smuggled to the Venice Film Festival in 1971 where it won the FIPRESCI or critics’ prize, rapidly gaining international recognition as a masterpiece thereafter. Poignantly wrapped in layers of religion and leftist politics (two major forces of the 1979 revolution), The Cow charted a new future for Iranian cinema.
Cannes Film Festival, Director’s Fortnight, 1971
FIPRESCI Prize, Venice Film Festival, 1971
OCIC Award – Recommendation, Berlin International Film Festival, 1972
Will be followed on Friday by:
Dariush Mehrjui: Making THE COW (Bahman Maghsoudlou, 2022)
November 22, 2024 7:00pm

https://cinematicarts.duke.edu/screensociety/screenings/cow-dariush-mehrjui-1969
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064356

Let's gather 15 min before the show (which starts at 19:00) in front of the theater.

Group discussion will follow in the Rubenstein lobby or, if there is enough interest, at some downtown location nearby.