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Samaneh is a thirteen-year-old Bakhtiari girl who lives with her family in a remote Iranian village where girls are only allowed to attend elementary school. According to Islamic tradition, they are expected to marry as soon as they reach puberty and before their first menstrual period, an event that Samaneh is expecting with great fear. She dreams about continuing her studies in the city, far away from restricting ancestral traditions.
Samaneh’s father is a skilled hunter. When Samaneh was eight years old, he was accused of accidentally killing another member of his tribe. In Bakhtiari culture, to prevent further conflicts, a girl is offered as a peace gift to the family of the victim, a tradition called “Khoon-Bas” (cease blood sacrifice).
Samaneh was chosen by the clan elders to be given to the victim’s family once she reaches puberty, to prevent further bloodshed and bring peace between the two families. Samaneh’s first period can occur every day now and the victim’s family wants to prepare the wedding. However, her father refuses to abandon his daughter. The only way to invalidate the cease blood sacrifice is to find seven of the same rare and endangered birds called “Kabk” in exchange for spilling blood.
Father and daughter embark on an arduous journey to capture those birds alive. Their shelter is the beautiful Oak forests close to Samaneh’s village. Oak trees provide villagers with precious material: their fruits are food for their animals or can be used as a natural colour for the wool of precious carpets. The wood of the oak trees is used as charcoal for the long cold winter when the village is completely cut from civilization due to the heavy snowfall. Uncontrolled and massive hunting of rare animals and cutting of the oak trees by those who want to make a quick profit are disturbing the balance with nature and decimating many species.
Samaneh and her father are in a deep conflict. They know that the rare golden-wing partridge will most probably die in captivity. The father has to maintain his honour within the community and accept the elderly’s decision. Samaneh has a strong connection with nature and loves animals, but she is aware that capturing the birds is her only escape from a marriage where she will be worth nothing and she and her children will not be respected.
Can she fly away from her harsh reality when capturing the birds?
