Araf is a short film, written and directed by Fidan Jafarova and Tofiq Rzayev.
Araf, meaning purgatory in Azerbaijani, is the story of a family trapped in close proximity to an unexplained war. It illustrates the fact that the reasons behind conflict cease to matter when it comes so close to home.
The father is dying, the son is out fighting, and the mother is willing to risk her life to find food for her family, calmly stepping out into the darkness. The daughter is left to await the inevitable.
It makes for uncomfortable viewing, especially as conflict in the Middle-East is a regular sight on news channels now. The score maintains an air of melancholy throughout, and the claustrophobic atmosphere is strengthened by the use of light and shade, as the characters carry lamps around with them. Their small, wavering lights cutting through the darkness.
