The nightly song of the travellers
The nightly song of the travellers is the adaptation of a novel written by Chapour Haghighat and published in Paris edition "L'Harmattan" coll Ecriture.
After being in prison, Yolan, a tailor from Tabriz of Turkish extraction, escapes from Iran to Turkey in order to find his ancestors’ village. He is accompanied by Ozal, a young boy he gave a home to.
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This film relates the wandering of these two characters through the mountains of Eastern Anatolia. Their quest quickly turns disappointing: their village seems to have vanished without trace and they give themselves up to chance.
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They wander from village to village, lost, without knowing exactly what they are looking for. On their way, they meet all sort of characters, serious or comical ones, sharing with them a few moments before going further. After a long journey, they come across a seer and leave it to her to enlighten them on their destiny.
A road in the dark leads them to the seaside. There, on a beach, some Armenians are dancing to the sound of bagpipes. A boat is waiting. Attracted by the music, Yolan starts dancing, frantically.
Participation in festivals
International Film Festival of Munich
« …an intriguing and fascinating parable… »
International Film Festival of Rotterdam
« The world around Yolan is at the same time commonplace and fantastical. This absurd and cruel world does not offer a well-defined path. Even the seer Yolan turns to leaves things up to chance ».
Seattle International Film Festival
« The quest gives an evocative glimpse of an age-old world filled with traditions, faith and history »
Mill Valley Film Festival
« Taking inspiration from fellow countryman Abbas Kiarostami’s cinema of poetic ruralism, filmmaker Chapour Haghighat has crafted a debut feature, based on his own novel, that discovers stunning beauty in the small moments of everyday life. »
International Film Festival of Rotterdam
World Premiere 2006,
IFF Sofia 2006,
London Film Festival(Mosaïques) 2006,
FNC Montréal 2006,
IFF Valladolid 2006,
Festival of asiatic film,
Rome 2006,
IFF Bratislava 2006,
IFF Tiburon 2007,
Trento Film Festival 2007,
International Panorama of Independent Filmmakers,
Patras 2007,
Ourense International Film Festival,
Spain 2007,
International Film Festival for Mountains,
Bansko 2007Belfast Film Festival 2008,
Cyprus International Film Festival 2008