Ali Santouri - Ali Santoori - 1/2

Directed by Dariush Mehrjui
Produced by Faramarz Farazmand
Dariush Mehrjui
Written by Vahideh Mohammadifar
Dariush Mehrjui
Starring Bahram Radan
Golshifteh Farahani
Roya Teymourian
Masoud Rayegan
Music by Mohsen Chavoshi

The film begins near the end of the film's timeline. Ali Bolourchi, a santour player (Bahram Radan) narrates his life after his wife Hanieh (Golshifteh Farahani) left him. Ali now makes a living playing music with his band at weddings and house parties where he is often given drugs instead of money to support his heroin addiction. At one of the weddings in which Ali is playing, a mob opposed to the wedding storm the party, beat the guests, destroy the band's instruments and break Ali's arm. The story then flashes back to happier times when Ali and his wife Hanieh are coming up with the lyrics of the song which Ali was singing at the wedding. The film then shows a house party where Ali is performing and his drug use with his friend and band-mate Tamayol (Mahyar Pourhessabi) are highlighted. At the same party Hanieh meets a musician named Javid (Siamak Khahani) who invites Hanieh to join a musical group that plays for charities and goodwill events. The film then shows the downfall of Ali and Hanieh's marriage caused by Ali's increasing drug use as well as his hate for Javid. Ali beats Hanieh and she goes to her mother's (Maedeh Tahmasebi) house. Hanieh later explains to Javid that Ali's tapes and concerts were banned by the government forcing him to play at house parties and weddings to make ends meet, but for payment he was often given drugs and booze instead of money leading to his addiction. Again the film flashes back to happier times, showing how Hanieh and Ali met, their courtship, wedding and the beginnings of their married life.
The night after Ali's arm is broken he goes to his parent's home where he interrupts a large prayer session, begging for money and shouting as a result of not getting his fix. His mother (Roya Teymourian) calls Ali's brother Hamed (Nader Soleymani) to calm him down. Ali then is visited by his father, Haj Mohsen Bolourchi (Masoud Rayegan), a wealthy and conservative member of the bazaar who is shocked to see Ali is now injecting heroin. Ali's parents had disowned Ali after he refused to stop playing music. Ali continues to use what little money he has left on his drug habit and is eventually kicked out of his apartment when the owner decides to demolish the building. Ali ends up living in the street and parks with other drug addicts. His wife Hanieh, who has now divorced Ali and is going to move to Canada with her new husband Javid accidentally sees Ali one day. She calls his father who has people find Ali and take him to drug rehabilitation center. There Ali slowly loses his addiction but begs the rehab center's doctor not to let him leave as he is afraid he will go back to his addiction again. The film finally ends with scenes of Ali teaching the rest of the drug rehab patients music lessons and performing a concert.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Santori
• Santuri
• Santoori
• Radan
• Iran
• Tehran
• Lash
• bahal