Lyfta storyworld: Summer Village, Winter Village - Iran

Trailer to storyworld Summer village, Winter village

Summer Village

The village Shahnaz and her family lives in

Shahnaz, described by her teacher as "a great writer", writes and shares her stories of rural mountain life with her horses and her siblings. Breathtaking summer mountain scenery, goats, horses, and children playing and singing are contrasted with the hardship of rural life. We watch Shahnaz struggling to tie together a huge bundle of firewood and then navigate her way across loose rocks in a skirt and slip-on pumps carrying the wood on her back.

"My stories are all from this mountain"

SHAHNAZ

IN SUMMER VILLAGE, WINTER VILLAGE

Patriarchal society

Shahnaz and her family

Shahnaz complains that she does "everything" whilst her brothers. "do nothing". This is a patriarchal society where there is a clear distinction between "woman's work" and "men's work". It is a society where a 20-year-old girl is called a spinster and a father encourages his daughters to marry young rather than study.

"Why should I marry early? I want to study."

SHAHNAZ

IN SUMMER VILLAGE, WINTER VILLAGE

The right to education

Shahnaz in school

Shahnaz struggles to convince her father she should attend school. She has the added hardship of physically getting to school. She must cross two mountains to get to the village where her school is and her brothers must accompany her "Because they won't let me go alone".

Encouragement comes from her teacher who arrives from a neighbouring town telling Shahnaz, "Your stories are good". He believes in his student, who has come second in a national story writing competition, and he promises to convince her father that she should stay in school. Shanaz passes on her beliefs and dreams to her younger siblings, encouraging them to think big too.

"Baron, what do you want to be when you grow up? A teacher or a doctor?"

SHAHNAZ

IN SUMMER VILLAGE, WINTER VILLAGE

Winter Village

The village in the wintertime

The second episode, set in winter, is focused on Esmaeil Razavi, the teacher in the village of "Sar Agha Seyed" who travels from the city to work in the village during the winter.

With deep snow now everywhere, Esmaeil has to make a very difficult journey by car. It takes him a week to get to the village "which has lots of talented kids".

Winter is harsh here. Nestled into the side of the mountain the villagers live in basic houses with few possessions, heated from just a small open fire.

Hope

Esmaeil teaching in front of the class

Esmaeil brings hope to the village children. There is great excitement when he arrives at the school. He is determined to teach and show these village children that there is life outside of their village. However, trying to arrange a simple school trip to the city proves difficult.

The Headmaster tells him, "Families won't give permission. They think the whole of life revolves around their village".

Esmaeil is determined to bring about change. Once the winter is over he will convince the parents to let him take the children out on the trip and show them the world outside of their village.

"All of these kids haven't seen the city yet. None of them"

ESMAEIL

TEACHER IN THE VILLAGE

Summer Village, Winter Village - at a glance

2 powerful short documentary film featuring Shahnaz and Eshmaeil
3 interactive 360° spaces including Washing clothes in the stream, Shahnaz carrying laundry through the village

Rich media articles covering:
- Interview with Shahnaz
- Filmmaker interview: Milad in Iran
- Photo gallery: Winter village
Lesson and assembly plans included in this storyworld:
- Lyfta Time: Shahnaz in Iran
- Lyfta Time: Eshmaeil in Iran
- Assembly: Ambition
- Lesson: Comparing localities
- Lesson: Let's write a poem
- Lesson: When marriage is forced

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