PERAH ISTAR

Perah Istar is a documentary about the relationship between people and pigeons in a modern city. In ancient times, it was considered the bird of fertility and love (perah istar, the Semitic word for dove, means the bird of aphrodite). The three main monotheistic religions – Judaism, christianity and Islam – venerate it. In the Middle ages, it became the symbol of peace. So how is it that nowadays it is considered a “rat with wings” or a city parasite? What happened to this small domestic bird, highly esteemed for its virtues and long admired for its beauty? Why do so many people hate pigeons or are terrified of them, while others love them and are even obsessed with them? The indisputable fact is that urban residents are forced to co-exist with pigeons. Perah Istar chronicles this interesting cohabitation.