El árbol

A tree is growing on the fifth floor of a dilapidated building in Cuba, its roots seeking the earth meters below.

In filming the tree, Iranian filmmaker Roya Eshraghi reflects on questions about rootedness. The tree becomes a metaphor for a search: for the bond with her father, for a home, and for the meaning of the film itself. Because why does Eshraghi feel so connected to this tree?

Blurred images of city dwellers punctuate shots of the filmmaker amid the rubble. Meanwhile, she calls her father, whose experiences show similarities with the fate of the tree.