Raye makhfi

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Raye makhfi
DVD cover
Directed by	Babak Payami
Produced by	Marco Müller
Written by	Babak Payami
Starring	Nassim Abdi Cyrus Abidi
Music by	Michael Galasso
Cinematography	Farzad Jadat
Editing by	Babak Payami
Release date(s)	2001
Running time	105 min.
Country	Iran / Italy / Canada / Switzerland
Language	Persian
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Raye makhfi (En: Secret Ballot) is a 2001 Iranian film. It was directed by Babak Payami. The film covers a day in the life of a female voting agent collecting votes on an island in Iran.

1 Plot summary
2 Overview
3 Cast
4 Awards
5 External links

[edit] Plot summary

The story follows the unusual day of a soldier as he learns that it is voting day by an electoral urn that is parachuted from an airplane. A young woman goes for it and he learns that she is in charge of the mobile electoral seat on the islands. So he has to obey her and escort her with his military car through the desert. The vehicle is an army jeep closer to those of the German army in World War II than to the familiar U.S. models and has considerable engine difficulties. The no-name woman is totally dedicated to her duty, a true believer in the importance of voting, a tireless worker, rather voluble and certainly not submissive. Chador and all, she's clearly a liberated woman, a "city gal" says the soldier. The couple-by-necessity do eventually (jeep trouble aside) scour the land to find eligible voters among the sparse locals. The trek starts in a desert and gradually moves to somewhat greener places. It is educational for both parties. They encounter a variety of people (all peasants) and situations, which simultaneously instructs the two roamers and the audience.

For most people, this is a completely unknown experience and many funny events take place during the voting.

[edit] Overview

Raye makhfi was filmed entirely in Kish, a resort island in the Persian Gulf although it is not mentioned in the movie. In fact the setting looks like a semi-barren landscape that could be a mainland or an island. There, by the sea, on a desert beach, two soldiers stand guard against smugglers.

A serious natural, sly, or tongue-in-cheek humor keeps emerging in this realistic, ethnographic, patriotic work that is quite outspoken which stresses isolation, not poverty. And it is not bound by politically correct limitations. The city girl, commenting on the minimum voting age, says of a local "She can marry at 12 but she cannot vote."

Director Payami uses minimalism in Raye makhfi, letting a small spectrum of sociopolitical stances emerge naturally, and often humorously. For instance, there is traffic light in the middle of a desert. Worse yet, it is stuck on red.

Payami also has a pronounced use oflong shots (avoiding close-ups in favor of vistas, framing people and sights at a distance) and long takes with shooting scenes continuously for three minutes or more. This directly impacts upon the mood in the film..

[edit] Cast

The jeep and traffic light scene combines humour with more serious issues of isolationism

Nassim Abdi as Girl
Cyrus Abidi as Soldier
Youssef Habashi
Farrokh Shojaii
Gholbahar Janghali

[edit] Awards

In 2001, the film won:
- the FIPRESCI Prize - Special Mention at the London Film Festival
- the Special Jury Award at the São Paulo International Film Festival
- the Best New Director at the Valladolid International Film Festival
- the Netpac Award, the OCIC Award, the Pasinetti Award (Best film), the Special Director's Award and the UNICEF Award at the Venice Film Festival

and was nominated for the Golden Spike (Valladolid IFF) and the Golden Lion (Venice FF).

In 2002, it won the Jury Award at the Newport International Film Festival
In 2003, it was nominated for the PFS Award (Democracy) at the Political Film Society, USA.