Papeli

An 80-year-old blind man from the south of Iran has the gift of narrating dreams. He chooses the rocks from the heart of the mountains by touching and tasting them, and with simple tools and a handsaw, without any special advanced tools, he makes traditional pots for the villagers.

The poetic mid-length documentary by Iranian director Mahdi Kiasari depicts scenes from the everyday life of Abolfazl, a young boy who is missing both hands. Despite his disability, Abolfazl lives a full life with his family and friend Setayesh in a palm orchard near the Afghan-Iranian border, where foreign visitors often head for eco-tourism. Both belong to a group of children who live stateless in Iran, which poses another major disadvantage for their future.

Seven-year-old Zahra lives with her blind parents amid the chaos of everyday life in Syria. Despite the hardships surrounding them, she remains remarkably cheerful thanks to her parents' love and care, whom she calls "angels sent to her by God".