Another Birth
Spring Grants 2024 - Post-Production Stage
Isabelle Kalandar / Feature Narrative / Tajikistan, USA, Germany, Qatar / 76 min / Original Language: Farsi / Interests: Drama, Youth
Synopsis
Set in a small rural village nestled in the vast mountains of Badakhshan, eight-year-old Parastu’s world is turned upside down when she believes her beloved grandfather, Bobo Ali, is dying of longing for his absent son. Her apathetic mother dismisses her concerns, leaving Parastu alone with her growing worries about her grandfather’s illness. In a sincere attempt to save Bobo’s life, Parastu sets out to find her father, whom she has never met, hoping to bring him home. With her best friend Guliston as her partner, the two children navigate the rugged terrain of the surrounding mountains, encountering a wise man, a fairy, gravestones, and ghostly rivers. It’s a coming-of-age story that arrives too soon, abruptly ending a childhood cut short.
Credits
- Director
- Isabelle Kalandar
- Screenwriter
- Isabelle Kalandar
- Producer
- Isabelle Kalandar, Shahnoz Eronshoh
- Production Company
- IZK Films
About the Director
Isabelle Kalandar is a filmmaker based in New York who holds a BA in Film and Media Studies from Columbia University. Over the past three years, she embarked on creating her 'On Exile Trilogy,' writing, producing, and directing films such as 'Parvin' (Short/2021), 'Another Birth' (Feature Film/2024), and 'Life Says: Still We Must Live' (Feature/Post-Production), following Werner Herzog's method: "Roll up your sleeves and work as a bouncer in a club or warden in a lunatic asylum for six months, and you'll have enough money to make a film." Currently, Isabelle is working on the third and final instalment of the trilogy, 'When Soft Voices Die.'