Hamoun (film)

Plot

Hamid Hamoun who is an executive at a leading import-export firm lives with his wife Mahshid who is a budding artist in abstract painting. Mahshid hails from a rich family but marries the middle class Hamoun after falling for his intellectual tastes and forward views. After 7 years of marriage Mahshid who once was very much in love with Hamoun soon sees him as a constricting force against her desire to do something meaningful with her life. Hamoun who wishes to pursue a career as a writer while simultaneously preparing for his PhD thesis, occasionally takes out his frustration at his wife. Mahshid soon demands divorce from him. Hamoun is shocked to find out that his wife loves him no more. The story then depicts Hamoun's incapability to deal with the reality of losing his wife and living with his unfulfilled dreams. The subsequent scenes portray Hamoun's realisations coupled with dreamlike sequences resembling those from some of Fellini's movies. Hamoun vigorously attempts to meet his teacher Ali, whom he greatly admires, but never does. He then gives his grandmother a visit the purpose of which is to get a rifle which his grandfather had left. Hamoun unsuccessfully attempts to kill his wife who is now leading a good life on her own. Driven to the brink of madness by helplessness, Hamoun tries suicide by drowning himself in the sea. Hamoun goes through a dream where all his acquaintances and relatives including his mother and wife consoles him and Hamoun finds out (in the dream) that all his problems have been solved, only to wake up in the boat after being rescued by Ali, his teacher.

Reception

Due to its dream like sequences and the treatment, Hamoun has often been described as having a Fellini touch.^{Spirituality & Practice} Also the film has an undertone of comedy which is not usually found in Iranian movies. In 1997, Hamoun was voted the best Iranian film ever made by a survey of Iranian film critics.^{First Run Features} The Cow by the same director had previously held that honor.

Cast