Like
Kurosawa's Woman in the Dunes, 67-year-old Kobra battles the elements
on a lagoon in Iran to eke out a living for herself and her 100-year-old invalid
mother. Even on New Year's day she is out in her rowboat before dawn, dropping
and hauling her nets for the modest catch. She must argue fiercely with the
men in the marketplace for a fair price, and physically battle fishermen on
the water who claim the territory where her nets are placed. In an unforgettable
scene the men tear her nets and scuffle with her on the deck until she falls
into the water. Mother and daughter live together in a weather-beaten cottage on the edge of the lagoon. Pictures of their deceased loved ones surround them. The Koran, the voice of the mullahs on the radio, and their love for one another sustain them. With simplicity and honesty, this documentary makes a universal statement of the harsh realities many women face, and the strength that sustains them.
