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Tuesday * Ashamed to be Iranian I liked your article, "The first stone". I have also been thinking about people getting stoned to death in Iran and it boggles my mind. Just the other day I was talking about it to my best childhood Iranian friend who lives here in the U.S. and she didn´t believe that it was still happening in Iran until I sent her some of the articles that I found on iranian.com. She said when she sees these tragic news reports it makes her "ashamed to be an Iranian." As you say, "...How could he [the person who casts the stone] and I be from the same place? Speak the same language?..." * If I had been shrewd Although I strongly believe that all art is subjective and open to different interpretations, I felt it was my duty -- as the filmmaker behind "GOOGOOSH: Iran's Daughter" -- to respond to the letter written by Mr. Hamid ["Politicizing Googoosh"] in regard to my documentary film. With all do respect, I truly believe that Mr. Hamid has greatly misinterpreted my film. While my documentary has been called many things (too long, too difficult, too ambitious, etc.) it has never been called "one-sided." I think this term "one-sided" is very dangerous because it implies that -- with my film -- I am favoring "one side" as opposed to another (in this case, the Islamic Republic of Iran over the Pahlavi monarchy). Anyone who watches my film would find it very difficult to locate one moment or one scene which casts the IRI in a positive light. (How else can one explain the fact that a film festival recently rejected screening my film because it felt that I was overly critical of the Islamic Republic; fearing that they would alienate the Farabi Foundation?). Unfortunately, I think there is this very reactionary attitude in Iranian circles which deems that any one who does not overtly bash one side is obviously favoring the other. My film is an honest and truthful look at the socio-political enviornement under which Googoosh attained great success as a singer and actress. I show the oppression, brutality, and patriarchial tendancies of both regimes. Furthermore, I never claimed that Googoosh herself was a political person or was one who expressed political ideas. However, there are many factors related to Googoosh's life and her artistic work which are political. After all, doesn't one consider the fact that a female artist was banned for two decades from performing and flourishing with her art -- due to a decree which banned female public performances -- to be a socio-political issue? And what I said in my interview, with the Iranian, was that I had no contact with Googoosh, but that her son was mailed a copy. And I consider the fact that one of her best friends, Zoya Zakarian (a lyricist who appears in the film) wrote me a long letter praising the film and its artistic merits to be a good indication that I have not portrayed or used the Googoosh image in a way that takes away from her great accomplishments in the pop world. Finally, what I resent the most is the implication that I have used Googoosh to sell video tapes. This could not be farther from the truth because in every interview I have given (even at the film's website where the film's plot is desciribed in detail) I emphasize that this is a film which uses Googoosh's life as a metaphor. Had I really been shrewd and dishonest with my intentions (and sold this film as a straight documentary about Googoosh), I probably would not be working so hard to payoff the film which I financed independently and on my own. Farhad Zamani * Too much politics I too have seen Googoosh, Iran's Daughter. Whilst Mr Zamani should be congratulated for his attempt at making this documentary, it is unfortuante that by mixing so much politics into it, he has alienated a lot of his natural audience. Also, the film ultimately fails and leaves the viewer wanting more - it is not deep enough in it's political analysis and it does not concentrate on Googoosh enough either. It turns by the end into a mish mash of one-dimentional politics and an unsatisfying attempt at telling the story of a great Iranian icon. Ten out of ten for effort Mr Zamani but only a 6 out of 10 for the end result. * Dodging the main point If there is one skill that a group of the writers of this publication share, it must be the art of mixing up everything, drawing irrelevant conclusions and hence dodging the main point. Among these artful dodgers, who recently got the opportunity of showing their skills are, Setareh Sabety ["Diana not"], Rana Bahar ["Only fools and horses"], Fariba Amini ["Real princes and princesses"] and Laleh Khalili ["Different worlds"]. And the fact that they are all female is just a coincidence! This recent spate of confusion mongering began in response to two beautifully written features in relation to the dealth of Princess Leila. Mina Pejman in her captivating rendition of "Leila's last ride" gave us an emotionally charged account of the begining of that eternal journey. Whereas, Cyrus Kadivar, captured the gravity and the depth of the trajedy in his masterly composed account of the final moments of the same journey ["Crown of lilies"]. This prompted an immediate response from the anti-Pahlavi camp headed by Setareh Sabety whose line of thinking is all too familair. By personalising the issue to such a lowly extent as to using the nose-job and wieght-loss of the female royals and equating them with her version of identity crisis, she succeeded to reminded us of the popular Farsi saying of relating "...*ooz beh Shaghigheh" (if you'd excuse my language). She is closely followed by Rana Bahar that a single quotation of her letter should suffice: "For really no Iranian can truthfully claim that s/he has had good and proper parents during child and adulthood and Leila was no exception to this rule". Doesn't it leave you speechless?!!! Next, is Fariba Amini who is unhappy with the royals (and their titles) who (so unnaturally!) have appeared in the funeral of another royal!! The only accurate remark made in her letter is describing Sabety as an "intuitive" writer. In Amini's opinion, Sabety only writes on the basis of her intuition and does not rely on common sense or logic! Khalili is the next memebr of this clan who beileves that the only women who are working type are those who earn a pitiful living by working in the factories with their children being on their side! I suppose she is another intuitive writer. Finally, the odd-one-out of this group is a male writer by the name of Saffari-fard ["Nausiating"]. He believes that the only people who are worth mentioning are those who so bravely fought in the 8-year war against Iraq. While nobody denies the sacrifices made by those people, Mr Saffari-fard should be reminded that while the father of Princess Leila was in power, there was no need for the people of Abadan or Khorramshahr to be involved with anybody's war. * Farah our Diana Setareh jAn, In "Diana not" you presented your thoughts in a very rok (or blunt) manner, I hope you don't mind if I write a few words in response using the same blunt tone. Your main problem with the Shahbanou seams to be with the plastic surgery that she has gone through. You seam to be generally very much against the "image" of the Pahlavi family. I find that argument shallower than all the nose jobs performened on the Pahlavis put together. Leila Pahlavi wasn't our "Diana", FARAH Pahlavi was! And NOT because she was forced to transform herself into a super-woman to uphold the image of the court, but because she IS a super-woman when it comes to championing the preservation of our culture. The extensive effort that she put towards this cause during her reign cannot be disputed. Presently, in exile, not much has changed as she is present at opening ceremonies and unveilings of Iranian art exhibits around the world (and there is no doubt in my mind that she has a lot more to do with these exhibits than just presenting herself for their openings.) It crushes my heart when you compare Leila Pahlavi to rich spoilt children of Hollywood actors. Take a moment and read her mother's open letter in the London Times and tell me she is just another lost soul with too much money. Think for a moment what it would be like if half the world suddenly turned on YOUR father and expressed fanatical thirst for his blood. And that my friend was just ONE tragedy in her life. I think it's VERY unfair of you to expect her to grow up to be a charitable, kind leader to a people who essentially were the cause of her miserable state of mind. Princess Diana didn't grow up as a royal, she married into it and she couldn't handle more than 10 years of it even though for the most part she was adored by all her subjects. Setareh jAn, The issues you raise are VERY true and need to be addressed. The female image needs revision all around the world and our country and culture in no way gets exempt from the notion. I just don't think we can blame all the problems with our cultural identity on Farah Pahlavi and her family. Her crown and title aside, I believe that Farah Pahlavi is one of the most sage and valuable members of our exiled society. Just listen to her raspy voice when she talks about how she often calls up random office numbers in Iran just to talk to people inside the country. I'm 18 and I live in Vancouver, but I've been attracted to the Pahlavi's since my childhood, because in my mind they symbolize a period when our country's name wasn't synonymous with fundamental terrorist groups and old men dressed in turbans. Thank you for your time, * Working mother It is really ironic that Kasra should call his letter, "We live in 2001", because he is showing revolutionary sentiments which are long dead in 2001. Kasra is too stupid to distinguish between "working" and "working class". Queen Farah merely said that like all working mothers she couldn't be with her child all the time, and her statement was accurate. I assume that Kasra lives somewhere in the West, but he is so blind that he can not see that most "working" people do not wake up at 5:30 any more. My own boss is a working mother who makes a lot of money and she never gets up at 5:30, but she can not spend as much time with her child as a non-working mother. If Mr. Kadivar likes to write about Princess Leila's funeral, it is his business ["Crown of lilies"]. It is not up to Kasra to tell him what to write about. I for my part enjoyed reading Mr. Kadivar's articles and I hope he continues. Kasra then brings Christian Amanpour into his letter by saying, "Sir, go and learn from the likes of Christian Amanpour who cover real stories of pain and sorrow of the misfortunate in the world". Ms. Amanpour is one of the millions of Iranians who had to leave Iran after revolutionaries like Kasra overthrew the monarchy. And believe me, Ms Amanpour is getting paid a lot of money for doing her job, and she would have covered Princess Leila's funeral if her boss at CNN had asked her. * Hye hye Dear Editor, Professor Hamechizdon here. Recently Our Department has been flooded with emails and letters from dear Kharejeh Keshvaries, students, faculty and staff alike inquiring a most important matter pertaining to Nooneh's story about "Rick". They all unanimously ask us about the underlying reasons as to why this American" Indiane-eh chand rageh" starts crying "hye hye" after he visits Nooneh's parent. (Zabanam lol about the untimely acts that will follow). At the Department it was mentioned that you have asked under age children to discuss this very important issue with their parents. Thus we can only suppose you have had the same question in mind. This is indeed a very relevant inquiry, which rightfully requires our Department's attention. Event though many of our hamvatan's from certain part of the country truly believe that Rick's cry was due to the fact that he might have lost in Rummy (to Nooneh's ugly mother), but we all know that would be just a superficial excuse. Thus the following preliminary observations are formulated based on both socio/psychological data, oral history related interviews and our Department's numerous clinical studies. 1- Let's face it, Nooneh is turning more absent-minded every day. Remember when Senator Moynihan criticized Reagan's Administration for its "mysterious collective amnesia" the same reasoning applies to Nooneh. How could Nooneh who used to go "fal-goush" in pre-revolution be in her mid 30's now? Our data shows she is more than fifty years old. This could be the first major cause of "hye hye" crying of Rick. Here is a woman who is trying to act 30ish by using a lot of "batouneh kari" instead of make up, who goes into a state of trans. thinking she is Janet Jackson, only that her face looks more like Michael. 2- Let us now turn our attention to the plight of Rick the American "sorkh poust" whose collective memory has gone through a painful experience. He will perpetually feel the agony of attacks and mass genocide on a colossal scale, (camera, quick, get a long shot of Sohrabi and or Geive Mirfenderski), if he stays with Nooneh and God Forbid marry her. Here is this woman who thinks she and her family are superior to all others. He visualizes how he will be a "nokar" based on consent and not conquest. The slough of brutal force is entirely cast off. All his "nokari" will be voluntary. Marriage will be an every day "nokari" again, and again and again. This for sure calls for "hye hye" crying. 3- Add to this misery the fact that the mother in law is a chronic gambler and the father is an exiled "new born cook", who "doem sareto meekhoreh az bas harf meezaneh". (When I worked in "felon vezarat khaneh" I saved them that amount of money, the day of "coup deta Mosadegh chetor be yek rouz hameh azin rou be oun ru shodan" and talk and harf and harf) Let us all cry "hye hye" for Rick . 4- According to our tips Rick also cries because there were supposed to be thirteen Nooneh Stories. Khoda Rahm Koneh. The style is changing and getting close to political commentaries of "khandaneeha". Meanwhile Nooneh is getting uncontrollably weird, moronic and deranged. In fact Dr. Nix ["I know the feeling"] and Nooneh should get together asps. Here is this 60'ish "peereh khereft", who falls in love with a young married woman with two kids whom he has never met. Speaking of diabolic people. Cyber Meeting of great minds. Dr. pop culture Nix meets Nooneh turned Bella Abzouk. Or better yet Luca Signorrelli depicting an ultimate fate for Kharejeh Keshvari girls. Professor Hamechizdon * Superman(woman) On Amoo Reza's question for Kobra Khanom: ["Sex & PMS"] I think she is a superman... oops! Super woman : - ) * Terri Banapour I am looking for my friend. His name is Terri Banapour. Terri and his family lived in Tehran until 1977 or so and after that they lived in California. His Mom was French and his father was a doctor, whom I believe has passed a way now. Terri had 2 sisters, I believe Chantal and Florance and a niece whose name I can't remember. I know that they were originally from Kermanshah. I am desperate to find my friend, if any one knows of where about of Terri or his family please let me know.
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