Logline:
Mohammad Vali Gandami is the last miller who knows the techniques of building and repairing windmills experimentally. At the age of seventy-five, he is still responsible for the maintenance of historical windmills (Asbad) of Nashtifan.
Synopsis:
Nishtifan’s Windmills, also known as Asbad, are more than 3000 years old. They were built to make optimal use of the strong, continuous 120-day winds of Sistan, and were one of the most basic foundations for the durability and stability of people’s lives. These windmills are important in terms of architecture and performance, and most importantly, the use of clean and renewable wind energy. The documentary follows Mohammad Vali Gandami, the last miller who knows the techniques of building and repairing windmills experimentally. At the age of seventy-five, he is still responsible for the maintenance of these historical windmills.
Director Statement:
My third film, ‘Wind’s Heritage’, is a documentary that explores the historical significance of the ancient windmills of Nashtifan, located in southeastern Iran. My previous films, ‘Mat’ and ‘Eil Bano’, were about women who protected their environment and community in remote and indigenous places, and single-handedly shouldered the burden of society’s backwardness and government incompetence. In this documentary, I wanted to highlight the story of Mohammad Vali Gandami, the last miller who knows the techniques of building and repairing windmills experimentally. For many years, he alone has been protecting the historical heritage of his people and his predecessors. Through this film, I hope to bring attention to the importance of preserving our cultural heritage and the need to recognize the contributions of those who have dedicated their lives to this cause.These windmills have applied for the UNESCO world registration for years, but due to the lack of follow-up by national and local authorities, the case has not yet been completed and the buildings are not properly protected. It is imperative that we take action to preserve these historical structures before it’s too late.
Crew
Director & Screen writer: Nasir Golzadeh
Director of Photography: Reza Didar
Edited by: Hadi Sheibani
Music & Sound Designer: Salman Abouzar
Set & Costumes Designer: Mahboubeh Soltani
Make-Up Designer: Somayeh Arghabaei
Production Manager: Roham Rasouli
Sound Mixer: Alireza Safdari
Script supervisor: Ghazal Zoghinia
Executive Producer: Roham Rasouli
Producer: Nasir Golzadeh
Cast: Mahboubeh Hadavi, Jawad Soltani
Amir Mohasebati
TECHNICAL INFO
Film Title (original): ماشین باز
Film Title (International / English): Petrolhead
Film Type: Short Film, Narrative Fiction
Genres: Drama/Comedy
Special Subject: Social/Women
Runtime: 12 min 51 sec
Completion Date: April 2023
Country of Origin: Iran
Country of Filming: Iran
Film Language: Persian (Farsi)
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Shooting Format: Digital (4k) on Sony A7S3
Aspect Ratio: 1:1.85
Film Color: Color
Screening Format: DCP (non encrypted)
Framerate: 25 fps
Audio Format: 24 bit/48KHz stereo,
