Friday
September 1, 2000
Tired of films with poor kids
In browsing Iranian web sites, I've read many articles or postings were
Iranians cheer in joy and pride over these "new" movies coming
out of Iran ["Not
THAT good"]. I feel that the main reason for this excitement is
the fact that they have performed well at Western festivals and Western
newspapers have liked them. It's like...oh suddenly Iranians are not just
religious fanatics and terrorists (the legacy of the Islamic Republic).
I really enjoyed several of these films:
1) Color of Paradise
2) Gabeh
3) Moment of Innocence (Noon va goldoon)
But if we really think about movies like "Children of heaven",
"Apple", etc. , you see all these miserably poor kids, doing
incredible things so that they can buy a god damn "shoe" or "watch".
I'm sorry but I can't sit there and watch a movie where all women are covered
by a chador all the time and you hardly can see their faces. I'm also getting
tired of seeing misery and suicidal people...etc.
It doesn't represent my reality and it doesn't inspire me... it just
reminds me how awful things still are in Iran.
Iranian movies at the time are limited by what the Islamic Republic
allows.... and that means that the storyteller has very little space to
maneuver and express itself. No wonder all these movies are so similar.
Although some Westerners are interested in these movies... the truth
is that the average Joe, doesn't even know they exist. In fact, very few
get released on DVD.
I would like to see an uplifting movie, with little misery and no sousk
in it!
Dario Margeli
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