Water, Wind, Dust, Bread

In an oasis in the Iranian desert, 11-year-old Abolfazl picks dates, tends his family’s cows, does his homework, and has fun with his best friend Setayesh. The camera quietly observes their friendship as they swing between the date palms or climb the windswept rocks around the oasis. Abolfazl’s mother bakes fresh bread, and tourists come to her guesthouse for the serene atmosphere.

But life in the oasis is not entirely idyllic. Although Abolfazl lives with a physical disability, it is Setayesh who faces an even bigger hurdle. She is one of the 40,000 children in Iran who don’t have a birth certificate, and as a result she can’t go to school.