AREFI – THE SHEPHERD
Daniel Asadi Faezi | Iran, Germany 2013 | 9 Min. | OmeU
Dasht-e-Kavir. One would not expect less life than in the desert of central Iran. But there is one man facing the power of nature: Mohammad Arefi is a shepherd – body and soul. For more than two generations his family has been doing this demanding job. Every day he takes care of over 300 goats and sheep. This film is a fascinating, close-up portrait of a quiet but humorous personality.
The director Daniel Asadi Faezi met the shepherd through several coincidences while traveling through Iran. He lived with Mohammad Arefi for six days in order to get to know his life better and later be able to produce a more authentic portrait of his everyday life. Together, they tended the animals, marched for hours through the desert and mountains, ate together and slept in his cave. The batteries of his camera and laptop could be charged with the help of his friend Rohab, who offered the services of his car battery.
