New PBS Series features Iranians Azar Nafisi and Shabnam Rezaei

sarasepidzadeh
by sarasepidzadeh
08-Dec-2010
 

Invitation to World Literature is a great new series produced by Annenberg and WGBH PBS in Boston. The 13-part series explores great world literature such as The Odyssey, Gilgamesh and 1001 Nights. Famous Iranians such as Azar Nafisi is interviewed in episode # 1 "Gilgamesh" as well as creator Shabnam Rezaei in episode # 13 "1001 Nights". Azar Nafisi discusses her experiences reading the book of Gilgamesh. Shabnam Rezaei is producing a new cartoon series and she discussed the history of 1001 Nights and what they are doing with the show now. Other famous cast members include Philip Glass, Yusef Komunyakaa, Mary Zimmerman, Tim Blake-Nelson, Marin Alsop, Aly Jetha and David Damrosch.

Produced By Seftel Productions. Coming to PBS stations and worldwide near you in 2011.
For more, visit //www.learner.org/courses/worldlit/

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more from sarasepidzadeh
 
sarasepidzadeh

just released!

by sarasepidzadeh on Fri Mar 04, 2011 04:56 PM PST

new clip

//iranian.com/main/blog/sarasepidzadeh/cl...

 

 

Sara Sepidzadeh - Iranian Entertainment & Culture


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sarasepidzadeh

beautiful

by sarasepidzadeh on Fri Dec 10, 2010 11:09 AM PST

I love it. Thanks for sharing!!

 

sara

Sara Sepidzadeh - Iranian Entertainment & Culture


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Azarin Sadegh

why I love Orhan Pamuk!

by Azarin Sadegh on Thu Dec 09, 2010 09:21 PM PST

Watch him and a few others discuss his book:

//www.learner.org/courses/worldlit/my-name-is-red/watch/

And read the opening chapter:

//www.learner.org/courses/worldlit/my-name-is-red/read/

" Chapter 1: I AM A CORPSE

I am nothing but a corpse, a body at the bottom of a well. Though I drew my last breath long ago and my heart has stopped beating, no one, apart from that vile murderer, knows what's happened to me. As for that wretch, ....

For nearly four days I have been missing: my wife and children must be searching for me; my daughter, spent from crying, must be staring fretfully at the courtyard gate. Yes, I know they're all at the window, hoping for my return.

But, are they truly waiting? I can't even be sure of that. Maybe they've gotten used to my absence–how dismal! For here, on the other side, one gets the feeling that one's former life persists. Before my birth there was infinite time, and after my death, inexhaustible time. I never thought of it before: I'd been living luminously between two eternities of darkness.

I was happy; I know now that I'd been happy. "


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sarasepidzadeh

my name is red

by sarasepidzadeh on Thu Dec 09, 2010 06:40 PM PST

oh that's right - there is a "my name is red" episode but I have not watched it yet. It's a modern book, I prefer the old ones but I will be sure to watch it. Thanx for the top azarin.

s

 

Sara Sepidzadeh - Iranian Entertainment & Culture


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Azarin Sadegh

Yes! Orhan is a super famous author..:-)

by Azarin Sadegh on Thu Dec 09, 2010 04:00 PM PST

A Turkish author who won the nobel prize in literature in 2006! His best works are The Black Book, My Name is Red and Snow.

He is also my favorite living author!


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sarasepidzadeh

orhan?

by sarasepidzadeh on Thu Dec 09, 2010 09:16 AM PST

who is orhan? he must be some famous author of some kind.

 

Sara Sepidzadeh - Iranian Entertainment & Culture


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Azarin Sadegh

Was it an illusion or was it really Orhan Pamuk?

by Azarin Sadegh on Wed Dec 08, 2010 09:10 PM PST

I might have been dreaming but my heart almost stopped when I saw Orhan Pamuk...my favorite author, and my "hidden" obsession!!

Congratulations to Azar and Shabnam aziz to be in this wonderful series!  

 


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sarasepidzadeh

You're welcome

by sarasepidzadeh on Wed Dec 08, 2010 06:16 PM PST

You are welcome Sargord. I love that episode. I did not read it in Iran but in English at university but I loved hearing Azar nafisi's story of how she read it when she was young and devoured it in Iran - so interesting!!!

that is one of the best episodes in the series for sure. Some of the titles I did not know though so I did not enjoy it as much. I like the old famous tales like odyssey and 1001 nights.... basically the ones I know! LOL :)))

 

Sara Sepidzadeh - Iranian Entertainment & Culture


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Sargord Pirouz

Thanks so much for the heads

by Sargord Pirouz on Wed Dec 08, 2010 05:32 PM PST

Thanks so much for the heads up. I just watched the episode on Gilgamesh. Like Nafisi, I first read the work at my university in the 1970s. 

I plan on watching the other episodes of the series, as well. 


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sarasepidzadeh

YES - Fantastic

by sarasepidzadeh on Wed Dec 08, 2010 04:41 PM PST

I couldn't agree with you more Mahoudg Jan. Thanks for your post. She is awesome and so is everything they do.

 

happy holidays!

 

Sara Sepidzadeh - Iranian Entertainment & Culture


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mahmoudg

congrats to Shabnam

by mahmoudg on Wed Dec 08, 2010 04:28 PM PST

I have posted on numerous occasions and written several articles for her website, By far one of the best Iranian run and produced news/cultural website in diaspora.  keep up the good work shabnam.


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