The Cow

Gaav

Inspired by Au Hasard Balthazar and Los Olvidados, Dariush Mehrjui’s film transformed Iranian cinema and defined the Iranian New Wave.

  • Director

    Dariush Mehrjui

  • With

    Ezzatolah Entezami, Mahin Shahabi, Ali Nasirian

  • Iran 1969. 105min

  • Digital (restoration)

  • Certificate

    PG

  • English subtitles

A poor farmer in a rural village loves his cow more than anything. When he loses it, his mind gradually descends into folly, triggering a transformation in him. Mehrjui was forced to whitewash the village before shooting, but that wasn’t enough to prevent a ban, for exposing the poverty and primitiveness of rural Iran. Despite this, the film’s international festival success brought recognition for Iranian cinema.

Giulia Saccogna

Contains scenes of animal cruelty.

Restored in 2014 with the participation and cooperation of the Iranian Cinema Organization, with funding by the National Film Archive of Iran and the Pishgamane Cinemaye Aria Laboratory.