Wednesday, March 5, 2008

"Gabbeh" At Yale Center For British Art

"Gabbeh" At Yale Center For British Art

Mar. 6

Magic carpets are a staple in Middle Eastern storytelling, and Iranian film master Mohsen Makhmalbaf gave the old theme a novel twist with his movie "Gabbeh."

In the 1996 Iranian New Wave classic, an elderly couple is washing a gabbeh, an intricately designed throw rug.

Magically, a beautiful young woman appears. She offers to help the oldsters clean the carpet. As it turns out, the young lady is a member of the clan depicted in the rug.

"Gabbeh" will be shown today at 7 p.m. sponsored by the Yale Center for British Art.

The film will be introduced by Beatrice Gruendler, professor of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations. An informal discussion will follow the screening.

The screening is at the Whitney Humanities Center, 53 Wall St. The film is 75 minutes, in Persian with subtitles and unrated.

Admission is free.

— Susan Dunne