Feature film
Rabia Balkhi
رابعه بلخی
Synopsis
Rabia, princess of the kingdom of Balkh, lives with her father, the king, who cherishes her, and her brother Hares, lazy and debauched. For decades, Balkh has been at war with a neighbouring kingdom, and the army's commander falls in the latest battle. The film brings to the screen the legend of the tenth-century poet: on the king's death, Hares inherits the throne and the guardianship of his sister, whose talent he envies, and Rabia falls in love with Baktash, her brother's Turkish slave, to whom she sends her verses through her friend Ra'na.
Context
A historical epic, the film is among the first Afghan feature films supported by the state; the magazine Zhvandun devoted an article to it on 4 May 1974. Sima Shadan plays Rabia, Parvin Sanatgar the confidante, and Daoud Farani has a role; the sources add Abdullah Shadan, Mohammad Nazir, Daoud Farani or Abbas Shaban as directors. Its running time varies between copies, from an hour and a half to nearly three hours.
Who it is for
A film in the Afghan language, subtitled in the copies available online. It helps to know the legend of Rabia, whose thread the film follows.
Prizes and reception
No prize found. The film is now streamed online, on Mubi among other places, under the title Rabia of Balkh.