Zagros (2018)

This evening we will screen the documentary Zagros, following the exhibition ‘A Soft Ode’ from Julia Kiryanova that pays tribute to the rich history of tapestries.

The film is directed by Shahab Mihandoust and Ariane Lorrain and follows the creation of carpets in the western mountains of Iran, the land of the Bakhtiari. Wool is the guiding thread that connects both nomadic and sedentary communities, offering a glimpse into the worlds of weavers, dyers, and shepherds through their labour. Carpets form the social fabric of their lives, giving it both shape and colour. The work is arduous and increasingly undervalued by the outside world — yet these communities draw strength and meaning from the love they hold for their traditions. 

Before the film there is an introduction by Anahita Rezaie, a lawyer and cinephile with a special love for Iranian cinema and for carpets. ‘A carpet, like a film, tells a story where you can get lost visually in an unfamiliar world’.

Melkweg often hosts different types of programmes at the same time, such as concerts, club nights and films. Please note that there may occasionally be some noise pollution from other programmes during the screening.