Bird that Could Tell Fortnues, The

Sadjad is 10 years old and lives with his mother and his sisters and brothers in the Isfahan, a city in Iran. Every day after school Sadjad and his friends meet at the square in front of the largest Mosque in the city. To all the people passing by, they try to sell fortunes, written by the known poet Hafez. It is hard work for a little boy, but Sadjad is putting an honour in providing his family so they can afford to buy food and to go to school.

Sadjad’s greatest wish is a bird, which he can train for picking up fortunes from a box. He knows from the other fortune sellers, that a bird gives more money. After a long time of secretly saving his money he buys the beautiful green and most enchanted bird he has picked out at the nice bird keeper. He names the bird Bolbol and soon they become very good friends….

The Bird that Could Tell Fortunes is a universal story about a boy, who together with his bird sells fortune-telling cards to passers-by. The film is a true present-day picture of Persian culture and tradition, and with its expressive images it carries us into the mysticism of the Orient. As one of the directors grew up in Iran and is deeply rooted in the country, she sees the nuances and entirety that people living there do not notice: A bird that has flown away sees an entirety from above.