A Cinematographic Contemplation on Rūmi's Assertion - What You Seek, Is Seeking You
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Abstract
The concept of identity has been discussed for many centuries in Persian literature, distinctively in the poems of the philosopher and poet Rūmi (Jalal al-Din Muhammad Balkhi - (جلالالدین محمد بلخی) (1207 –1273). Identity and Rūmi’s poetic thinking form the substrate from which this study emanates. Methodologically the research employs a heuristic, practice-led, inquiry, to consider the poetics of سیر (Seyr) and سلوک (Soluk) through the four Zoroastrian sacred elements آب، باد، خاک، و آتش (fire, earth, water and air movement). In the resulting two non-verbal films, the lyrical potentials of cameras, lenses and composition are employed to create subtle cultural allusions that function as poetic metaphors. Using this approach the work contributes to a corpus of work by Persian filmmakers who employ poetic abstraction as a means of enhancing philosophical contemplation.