It's Winter - Mitra Hajjar

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Zemestan" or "C'est l'hiver")

directed by Rafi Pitts
Iran/France 2006

A man is fired from his job. Having no more options, he decides to go find work abroad, leaving behind his wife and daughter. Months pass and his family hear no word from him. A stranger, a mechanic, arrives in town in search of work. His eyes wander to the beautiful young woman whom he hears no longer has a husband.

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Theatrical Release: 11 January 2007 (Iran)

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DVD Comparison:

Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL vs. Facets Video - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gary Tooze and Eric Cotenas for the Screen Caps!

(Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Facets Video - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Artificial Eye Region 2 - PAL	Facets Video Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime	1:18:21 (4% PAL speedup)	1:18:12 (4% PAL speedup)
Video	1.87:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.8 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.82:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.84 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Artificial Eye
Bitrate: Facets Video
Audio	Farsi Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo	Farsi Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo
Subtitles	English, none	English (burnt-in)
Features	Release Information: Studio: Artificial Eye Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.87:1 Edition Details: • Interview with Rafi Pitts (16:9; 40:19) • Biography DVD Release Date: 23 April 2007 Amaray Chapters 12	Release Information: Studio: Facets Video Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.82:1 Edition Details: • none DVD Release Date: 24 March 2009 Amaray Chapters 12

Comments

As expected, Facet's single-layer, anamorphic DVD is PAL-converted with burnt-in subtitles and absolutely no extras. Stick to the UK package (or seek it out) if you have Region 2 PAL playback capability.

- Eric Cotenas

ABOUT THE ARTIFICIAL EYE RELEASE: Artificial-Eye continues to bring important world cinema to DVD in excellent transfers. Viewed with a projector the image looks remarkably strong, with only some minor flaws. There's a few scenes with visible edge enhancement, and occasionally the picture is a little soft, but I suspect they are also on the original film elements. Even though the black levels are solid, I have a feeling that the master tape for this transfer is made from a copy produced for cinema purpose. The black sequences are often blocked in darker scenes. I'm sure that in the original camera negative there's more depth visible. But these are only minor flaws in a very strong transfer.

The Dolby Digital 2.0 sound is solid. There's an excellent 40 minutes interview with the director. It has made in a film school in London, and speaks perfect English. It's amazing how much information there is in 40 minutes. It's odd to hear him mention John Ford, because during the film I had several times the feeling that these Iranian characters are as lonely as Ethan in The Searchers. Even the "home" and the use of landscapes occasionally evokes Ford's films.

- Gary Tooze

DVD Menus
(Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Facets Video - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)