The Willow Tree
Directed by Majid Majidi (Iran)
Available in DVD (in Persian with English subtitles)
Click on link to buy the DVD
The Willow Tree is story of a blind man who is presented with an opportunity to regain his sight after over 40 years of total blindness. With his vision fully restored, he's not only exposed to the horrendous realities of life, but also rapidly succumbs to the darkest characteristic of our human nature, ingratitude for what God has given us already. It's a masterpiece of cinematic achievement, and a must see for anyone like this blogger who simply can't stand the typical Hollywoodesque action packed trash movies. The following review by Mary Ann Brussat (Spiritualitypractice.com) beautifully and clearly sums up my own feelings after watching The Willow Tree for the second time, this time in DVD!
"..The Willow Tree is a spiritual masterpiece that deals with subjects dear to the heart of Sufis and celebrated in the poems and other writings of Rumi: gratitude, transformation, and surrender to God. Youssef moves from a world of darkness where he relies on his senses and his connections with others to a world of light where he relies on sight and winds up falling quickly into selfishness and detachment. Youssef carries his anger into his new life, and it obliterates the gratitude he had for his little paradise of the past. And yet he yearns to be and feel differently, and he realizes that the only way there is through sacrifice and surrender. Majidi opens our eyes to the difficult process of surrender to God. It's not surprising that Rumi's Mathnawi makes a second appearance in the film, as the mystic sees surrender as the key to everything. Youssef goes through a series of physical and emotional transformations, but it is the last one, the spiritual one, that is the most important."
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