The Poot

Carpet weaving is one of the oldest trades in the Persian world, but just as with so many traditions, the craft is under fire these days. Many of the carpets that end up on the European market are mechanically manufactured in China or India, and the handicraft is becoming less attractive because people can earn more money in other occupations. The Iranian documentary reveals how in some places, carpets are still woven by hand. We follow the production process from start to finish, without explanation or comment, in a film that has the same visual magic as the Persian carpets it depicts. From the grinding of plants into powders of a dozen different colors and washing out the bales of wool in the river to the delicate, dexterous weaving and the smoothing out of the final product with a sharp knife. We see this all in deep, saturated colors, under the red morning light of the rising sun and with a razor-sharp eye for detail. In this way, the documentary provides a loving, romantic homage to an age-old tradition, one that is slowly but surely losing importance.