- Mohsen Makhmalbaf (in mirror) filming the title subject
Taken at face value, Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s The Gardener, which opens at the Gene Siskel Film Center this Friday, is lightweight stuff. It shows the Iranian filmmaker and his son Maysam visiting the Baha’i gardens in Haifa, where they learn about the Baha’i faith (which was founded in Iran in the early 19th century) and discuss the value of organized religion in modern society. They record testimonies from practitioners of Baha’i from around the world (who explain the religion’s doctrine of peace and tolerance) and capture some beautiful images of the gardens. It’s a mellow, contemplative film, despite being framed by an unresolved debate between father and son. For the sake of dramatic conflict, Mohsen explains at the start of The Gardener, Makhmalbaf pere will advance a positive view of Baha’i and of religion in general (even though he identifies as agnostic) while Makhmalbaf fils will take the opposite stance, arguing that organized religions inspire intolerance more anything else. Yet in keeping with the peaceful mood of the gardens, their debate remains respectful in nature.
