The Kamancheh Player

Two Bows and two worlds apart – the soaring beauty of Iranian classical music, an in-depth look at two musicians playing an ancient instrument called the kamancheh. In Rome, Reza Derakshani who was born in the small Iranian village of Sangsar, successfully blends ancient music with contemporary practice. He infuses his performances of the kamancheh with free jazz and electronic rhythms and plays regularly at sold-out concerts. He lives a life of modest wealth and cocktail parties. Meanwhile in Bandar Turkaman in northern Iran, traditional musician Bahram Berdikor contemplates ending his poor and desolate life. Acknowledged as one of the greatest Turkoman kamancheh players alive, he nonetheless seldom receives invitations to play his traditional-style music publicly. The most beautiful kamancheh pieces are forbidden by the regime. Love songs are an offense. Young people listen to pop music and have no interest in his traditional music. Kiarostami’s camera captures sharp insights into two different worlds of music through plain and focussed images and the unique sound of the kamancheh. (DOK.fest München)