Arefi, das Hirte / Arefi, the Sheperd
Production: Iran / Germany 2013

Dasht-e Kavir – the Great Salt desert in Iran. There probably are not many places on Earth where survival is as difficult. There is a man living in Dasht-e-Kavir, struggling with its nature and, simultaneously fascinated by its beauty. Mohammad Arefi, a humble shepherd, has had a bond with the desert since his childhood, and through his family's history – for generations. The film's director came across his protagonist while travelling through Iran. This meeting bore fruit to a film portrayal of a man who takes care of his herd of sheep and goats every day, far away from his family – as have the inhabitants of these lands for centuries.