December
10,
2013
Review
of Makhmalbaf’s “The Gardener”
Ottawa
premiere of documentary film on the Bahá'í Faith
 For several days in
mid-November, Ottawa’s Bytowne Cinema screened “The Gardener,” the
latest film by Iran’s award-winning producer and director Mohsen
Makhmalbaf. Makhmalbaf is not a Bahá'í, and his risky decision to make
a film in Israel about the Bahá'í Faith constituted a double taboo for
an Iranian filmmaker. The film has received very positive reviews in
the New York Times, Variety Magazine and other publications and has won
high praise at festivals around the world. Shidan Cummings was among
the many Ottawa Baha’is who were eager to see the film and he agreed to
provide the following review:
The Gardener (2012) “A poetic, artistic, and insightful look into
religion and its role in society. The film follows the director and
his son as they traverse the Bahá'í Shrines in Haifa and Akka, Israel.
One, an agnostic optimist about religion and its potential power to
transform society, and the other an agnostic/atheist pessimist who
argues all religions start good but become corrupt and a detriment to
society’s advancement.
The visuals were breathtaking, and although the film has a low-budget
feel, it sinks in on you halfway through that this style was indeed the
best way to portray a comfortable and casual look into spiritual and
social concepts. The filming style leaves plenty of breaks from content
for the audience to reflect on the dialogue.
Those who will get most out of the film are those looking for a thought
provoking and artistic look into religion. If you get bored easily from
a film that doesn't have non-stop action, it isn't for you.
 As a Bahá'í I was most impressed
by the filmmaker's ability to select many excellent characteristics of
the Faith to portray while not being a Bahá'í himself.”
-- Shidan
Cummings.
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