Sediment

‘Sediment’ is a short docu-fiction film which encourages and celebrates the diversity of human life in the world. In this film, which takes place both in Iran and the Netherlands, there is a focus on girls and women in two cultures– Iranian and Dutch- which gives the viewer another way to look at diversities. The story is told through 3 generations; firstly a middle-aged subject in her home, where the room communicates an idea of the intimate, interior world of the subject, a symbol of their private sphere. Secondly there are two 30 years old girls who are in a beauty-sa- lon. Through hair in film we can evaluate the way self-image and self-worth are constructed through these specific rituals that are passed down through female generations. Through the grooming of the hair we learn codes conduct. And thirdly, two teenagers give an image of girlhood, where young women from very different backgrounds share more than their geographical separateness would suggest.
The dialogue in the film is between these 30 years old girls who are expressing their dissatisfaction about these social codes. There is a sense of sameness, rather than individuality, that emerges, no matter their social or cultural environment. But at the same time, the viewer is aware of their very real social, economic and cultural divides.
Then there is a fictional character, dwelling in nature. She is a reflection of the stories and dialogues in the film. Whether characters exist or are invented-or both- is deliberately ambiguous, but trying to establish truth from fiction would be a diversion. The film is visualization of gaps in stories that have been told, and gaps in our understanding of nature.