Screening of the Film “Cheshmeh” [The Spring (En), La Source (Fr), 1971], Screenplay and Director Arby Ovanessian

"The Spring", made between 1969-71 by Arby Ovanessian, is one of the most debated films in pre-revolutionary Iranian cinema that has been either intensely criticized or greatly appreciated. The film was premiered at the First Tehran International Film Festival in1972. The Spring, nowadays regarded as a ‘master work’, is a powerful and evocative film that transgresses conventional social boundaries in the name of passion. The story portrays a tragedy that is the consequence of a struggle between love and antagonistic forces of traditions, morals and religious beliefs. Two lovers cross the barrier between Christians and Muslims in a town where high walls separate neighbour from neighbour. By focusing on objects throughout the film, Arby Ovanessian deliberately leads the audience to contemplate and meditate about the images he presents. Despite initially encountering adverse reaction of some Iranian audience, the poetic style and tempo of The Spring later influenced the perception of other filmmakers and established a new trend in Iranian cinema.