Comment on Babette's Feast film, Setareh

The most interesting view about this film to me is changing the atmosphere of people through eating and food.

When you watch this film, you see a small village with very conservative and religious people who are not connected with the outside world and they cannot accept stranger. The story plays a round two beautiful sisters that most of the young men desire to reach them. The two sisters live with their religious father who is seemingly is clergyman of the village. The whole scenes of movie are cold and lifeless space and area with no colors, all colors are very monotone; village is very steady and invariable. Every thing is simple, repetitive, no change and following the specific rules and constructors.

The dominant religious atmosphere doesn’t let people to have a chance to see, feel and experience new world and it seems people were satisfied with situation and there was no complain because they didn’t know what it is new and what is the happening in other world.

Lots of close up view on sisters’ face brings non-word feeling and emotion that are not obvious. In order to the religious belief every feeling is under suppression, and surrounded the old and traditions.

Even people gathering and their hangout are just for rituals. The whole point of the movie that there was no (physical) taste in the movie. Even the foods which sisters used and cooked are very wired, simple; making soup with left over bread, no color, taste, spice, and almost disgusting view. But people liked or tried to like these foods and have them for everyday.

Interestingly with the arrival of a new character named Babette who came from France, every thing was changed dramatically.

At the beginning, sisters taught to Babette to cook same as ugly and non-taste foods for them. By the chance Babette won lottery with too much money and sisters were worried that she wants to come back France. But Babette had only one demand, to give one feast with French cuisine. It is notable that even this simple Babette demand was also not very acceptable and is unlawful for their culture and living. Finally, although one of the sisters had a bad dream about Babette feast and thought she is in connected to devil or witches stuff, she consult with churching people and asked them not to show any reaction, feeling during eating foods in the feast. Even me until middle of the movie with seeing some invidious scene had this idea that Babette has some satanic plan.  Since she ordered lots of foods, wines, live animals from France. Some animals such  as turtle was very awkward and the chicks which are on the cage and specially the process of making them to eat  didn’t give any direction to audience that this feast has a good result.  Babette in the feast day started to cook without showing her self in front of the guests and had lots of efforts to make too many different foods, step by step and serve them with French traditions and customs. She had a bellboy assistance to help her and mentioned him to observe the different glasses for serving the wines and other drinks. She intends to bring a completely French dining etiquette and make people familiar with new culture. It was very obvious that the food was very delicious and tasteful for al of them, but every body afraid to express their feeling. Gradually, by eating various food and drinking the high quality wine people tried to be much free and let their emotions go out and everything was changed slowly. It can be seen these food and taste how changed their mind and made them to be close with together and understand each other. Although Babette spend whole of her lottery money to make these food and feast without showing her self during the feast, she gave the value, change, and conversion to them. She literally changed their life with only food. I really impresses by this concept in the movie that how the food can play a key role in the community and can gather people around each other by testing the different taste and being joyful.