Gaav

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Gaav

Directed by	Dariush Mehrjui
Produced by	Dariush Mehrjui
Written by	Dariush Mehrjui, Gholam Hossein Saedi
Starring	Ezzatolah Entezami, Firouz Behjat-Mohamadi, Mahmoud Dowlatabadi, Parviz Fanizadeh, Jamshid Mashayekhi, Ali Nassirian, Ezatallah Ramezanifar, Esmat Safavi
Music by	[[]]
Distributed by	[[]]
Release date(s)	1969
Running time	100 minutes
Language	Persian
IMDb profile

Gaav (The Cow) is a 1969 Iranian movie directed by Dariush Mehrjui, written by Gholam-Hossein Saedi based on his own play and novel, and staring Ezatolah Entezami as Masht Hasan.

[edit] Plot synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The story begins by showcasing the close relationship between Iranian villager Masht Hasan and his beloved cow.

When Hasan must leave the village for a short time, the cow dies. Hasan's fellow villagers cover up evidence of the death and tell him upon his return that his cow has ran away. Finding great difficulty confronting the loss of his beloved cow, as well the loss of livestock that affects his social stature at the village, Hasan gradually goes insane and believes he is the cow, adopting such mannerisms as eating hay.

[edit] Trivia

The Samanid prince Nooh ibn Mansur was reported to have thought of himself as a cow. He was subsequently cured of his delusion by the medieval Iranian physician Avicenna. It is possible that elements of the plot of Gaav were inspired by this.¹

Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini was reported to have admired this film. This in turn was reported to have been the saving grace that allowed Iranian cinema to continue without becoming completely banned after the Iranian Revolution.