Iranian filmmaker Khosrow Sinai’s feature film based on the Revolution of 1979 entitled “VIVA !”. Clearly influenced by the works of Costa Gavras’ Stage of Siege and “Z” the film seemed to draw parallels between the Iranian Revolution and those which took place in South American dictatorships like in Chili particularly in its machiavelic depiction of the behaviour of the Shah’s Military during the dark hours of the Revolution.
It would be interesting to know whether or not Khosrow Sinai judges this motion picture with the same indulgence 30 years later or whether he sees it with a more critical eye as a “Propaganda” Movie comissioned by the new Revolutionary Regime in order to glorify the Islamic Revolution of 1979 ? Only Sinai can answer this question regarding this “oeuvre de jeunesse”, I suppose.
NOTE: Khosrow Sinai is also the author of a magnificent and essential documentary entitled Lost Requiem about the fate of the Polish refugees in Iran during WWII.
Description – 1979-80
“Viva! …..” , 100 Minutes.
B&W – Feature film. (Khosrow Sinai, has been active in this production as: Co-Producer, Author, Scriptwriter, and Director)
Shown at: Karlovy vary international film festival (1980. participated in the main competition)
Recommended Reading:
Talking with Iranian Director Khosrow Sinai by MichaËl Abecassis
