Although the concept of leaving your family to earn a living elsewhere will be alien to many in the Western world, it’s a daily reality for countless people in poorer parts of the world. It’s usually men who move to the cities, either within the country or abroad, while the mother is left behind with the responsibility of bringing up the children and running the household. In these situations, a childhood becomes an unaffordable luxury for many. As is the case for one boy in Asteroid.
Ebrahim (Ebrahim Zarozehi) has been the man of the house since his father and older brother left two years ago to find work. His mother is hopeful that they’ll return, but in the meantime she’s struggling to feed their six children, obtain birth certificates and build a house in the village so they don’t have to travel from their shack in the Iranian desert. The twelve-year-old has shouldered the responsibility of becoming the breadwinner, while still longing for a better life.
Asteroid celebrates the simple pleasures in life and recognises those countless children who’ve stoically set aside most of their childhoods in order to work. The moments where Ebrahim is allowed small parcels of enjoyment are when Mehdi Hosseinivand’s film really comes alive. Highlighting the resilience and determination of one young soul while still allowing him the possibility of youthful dreams. Asteroid is a charming and quietly moving portrait of life in rural Iran.
Asteroid screens at Glasgow Film Festival.
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