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08-Feb-2012
Before in two weeks time the 2012 Oscar will be awarded to the different categories of cinematography, I would like to say something about the state of the Iranian Cinema. This year, the highly acclaimed masterpiece “Nader and Simin – A separation” bythe prominent Iranian film-maker Asghar Farhadi is nominated as the best non-english movie and for the best script.
“Nader and Simin” was not the sole Iranian film who made it to the western screens during the last years. We were mesmerized by Ali Samadi Ahadis “Green Wave” and “Salami Aleikum“, by Shirin Neshats “Zanan-e bedun-e mardan (Woman without Men)” and by the magic realism of Marjam Satrapis “Persepolis” and “Chicken with Plums“.
Movies by Iranian directors who have the chance to work abroad (like Marjan Satrapi or Ali Samadi Ahadi) are extraordinary masterpieces, carrying a very unique handwriting of their directors. And they breath the spirit of freedom and of unlimited creativity. But because they are produced in the west, they attract much less media attention. The media and critics in the west too often judge a movie more by the cirumstances under which it has been produced, and therefore grant a movie that has been produced inside the country an extra bonus for “braveness”. And for this extra bonus there is a sort of common sense that Iranian movies which are produced in Iran (like those by Jafar Panahi, Abbas Kiarostami, Asghar Fahadi orMohammad Rasoulof) lack the very open, personal and experimental techniques and tough expressions, which are characteristic for movies like “Green Wave” or “Salami Alaikum” by Ali Samadi Ahadi, “Woman without Men” by Shirin Neshat or “Chicken with Plum” by Marijam Satrapi. How is it possible, that although anything else than happy ending soft-stories, these four movies leave the audience with a feeling of hope, with the confidence that even the biggest tragedy will find a solution, or at least a meaning ? Is it because each tragedy will loose its horror if it can be openly narrated, if a movie-director can say anything he/she wants to say, using the words and pictures he/she feels are appropriate in this very moment ? This way the most sad and even tragic stories like in “Green Wave” or in “Chicken with Plum” can be presented with the greatest of ease. Here, the movie will be a relieve for the director, for the actors and finally for the audience. Because the emotionally strong stories were transformed into movies with all possible and all neccessary cinematografic elements, the audience feels a strong satisfaction and happiness.
In contrast, the movies produced at home in Iran (like “Darbareye Elly” or “Nader and Simin – A divorce” by Fahadi or “Offside” by Jafar Panahi) can not make us forget that censorship is the dominating condition under which artists have to live and work. Each single word in a dialogue, every character, every scenery has to be considered under the threat of censoreship. The so-called “scissors in your own head” might help the director to finally produce a movie that passes the ideological watch-dogs of the regime, and therefore wont suffer too much from beeing “trimmed” by a uneducated beaurocrats. But the movie itself, even if it fullfills the highest standard of movie-arts and creativity, innovation and honesty, can not make us forget that it was produced under conditions of unfreedom. You still can smell the sweat of the film-makers from the fear of loosing the battle against the beaurocrats, you can feel the many frustrating moments they had when another brilliant idea had to be put aside, for the sake to get the whole project through the machinery. One feels that they had to carefully select their words and their pictures, and this leaves a feeling in the audience that not everything what should have been said and shown in the movie became real.
I still advocate the Oscar beeing awarded to Asghar Fahadi, I think the battle he fought against the dump and dogmatic Iranian censoreship and the excellent team work he set up with great artists such as Sareh Bayat, Leila Hatami, Peyman Hatami and many others should be honoured. I think that none of the directors that left Iran would have had enough mental energy to fight through all these odds as Fahadi did, always beeing aware of the risk to end up in prison or beeing sentenced with a ban to work, as his colleague Jafar Panahi has experienced it. For sure, neither Ali Samadi Ahadi, nor Marijam Satrapi or Shirin Neshat would have had the stand and the courage (and maybe other qualities as well) to go through all the husles and restrictions to produce their movies at home in Iran – but maybe under conditions of relative freedom they are the more innovative and creative art-directors. A case where an Iranian film-maker probably tried to get “the best of both worlds” was Bahman Gobadis “Kasi az gorbehaye irani khabar nadareh (No one knows about persian cats)” According to IMBD, “.. during filming, Ghobadi and his actors were arrested twice but released after giving presents to the authorities and lying about the real subject of the film.” This way Bahman Gobadi found a half legal, half underground style to get a movie approved by the Iranian authorities, although it was full of satyrical episodes and signs showing that a way-out of the misery requires the abolution of the dogmatic islamic laws of the mullahs regime. But this film must be considered a singular event.
In general, Iranian movies must be judged either by their political braveness (if they are produced inside Iran) or by the high cinematographic standard (when they are produced abroad). In the current political situation and at the degree of oppression of intellectuals and arts-people under the islamic regime I think it is legitimate to honour with the Oscar award the movies who are the result of a brave political fight. But in history books of Iranian movie arts, I believe, the films of the exiled directors Ali Samadi Ahadi, Marjam Satrapi or Shirin Neshat might be considered more innovative and of longer-lasting value.
This is, like any judgement about arts and culture, my very personal and subjective point of view, and the audience from inside Iran might have the exact opposite opinion (in case they are not jet completely spoiled by Holywood and Bollywood mass production).
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Bahmani's much ado about nothings!
by Esfand Aashena on Fri Feb 10, 2012 05:26 AM PSTSo this time the whole entire Iranian cinema, especially, ESPECIALLY, the critically acclaimed movies and filmmakers like Kiarostami and Farhadi are ALL rip-offs of other movies and filmmakers who by the way have "stolen" from film-makers before them! WOW!
I don't understand why you have to force yourself to puke these nonsense. Apparently you go into overload everytime there is a movie that is winning awards. When the whole world is acknowleding you go into a cocka-mayme reasonings to blast not necessarily the movie, but the whole world!
So for the love of god please stop these blasphemies and for couple of weeks at least and quickly get with the program and join our prayer offensive with the Komail Oscar Pray!
Everything is sacred
The Bubble
by AliAlavi on Thu Feb 09, 2012 10:46 PM PSTSorry to burst your bubble, but more than 100 films were made in Iran last year... some are ok and some are good... None of the filmmakers in Iran make films for Iranians outside of Iran or the non-Iranians in other countries... "The Seperation" was a box office smash hit before it went outside and screened ro internationa audiences... Iran is a source of thought, human issues and the outlook on life ...It is a country that has been dealing with various issues in its culture and ... that is why its films have been the source of fascination for the whole world for the past 25 years... because they have something to talk about... because it is (even under expression limitations) it is a very vibrant society which discusses everything and is growing rapidlly in every field... this vibrancy has been showcasing it self in films in the past 25 years and because of different directors viewpoint or outlook has had a different rendition and way of showing things.. from Amir Naderi ("The Runner") to Kiarostami's (Life and nothing but - Through the Olive Tree ) to Mehrjui's Hamoon, Makhmalbafs, Majidi, Panahi, Bani Etemad, Milani and...... many more... they all have been bursting with ideas and discussions of various issues in their own way... One of the reasons the Americans are so pissed off about Iran and are trying to harm the people with their sanctions and threads of war is because Iran, with its own traditional/islamic way is becoming more and more the symbol of indepndence and becoming a role model for third world countries... Americans do not like hetrogenious culture... They would rather everybody in the world follow their way of life "The American Way" and its culture, music, films and fashion and politics... That is why they do not like Iran's effect on the neighborhood...
The Bubble
by AliAlavi on Thu Feb 09, 2012 10:45 PM PSTSorry to burst your bubble, but more than 100 films were made in Iran last year... some are ok and some are good... None of the filmmakers in Iran make films for Iranians outside of Iran or the non-Iranians in other countries... "The Seperation" was a box office smash hit before it went outside and screened ro internationa audiences... Iran is a source of thought, human issues and the outlook on life ...It is a country that has been dealing with various issues in its culture and ... that is why its films have been the source of fascination for the whole world for the past 25 years... because they have something to talk about... because it is (even under expression limitations) it is a very vibrant society which discusses everything and is growing rapidlly in every field... this vibrancy has been showcasing it self in films in the past 25 years and because of different directors viewpoint or outlook has had a different rendition and way of showing things.. from Amir Naderi ("The Runner") to Kiarostami's (Life and nothing but - Through the Olive Tree ) to Mehrjui's Hamoon, Makhmalbafs, Majidi, Panahi, Bani Etemad, Milani and...... many more... they all have been bursting with ideas and discussions of various issues in their own way... One of the reasons the Americans are so pissed off about Iran and are trying to harm the people with their sanctions and threads of war is because Iran, with its own traditional/islamic way is becoming more and more the symbol of indepndence and becoming a role model for third world countries... Americans do not like hetrogenious culture... They would rather everybody in the world follow their way of life "The American Way" and its culture, music, films and fashion and politics... That is why they do not like Iran's effect on the neighborhood...
Apparently Every Iranian Film is a Masterpiece
by bahmani on Thu Feb 09, 2012 03:38 PM PSTI humbly beg to differ.
Almost all of them so far have been thinly veiled copies, or you could stretch the argument really far and call them "homages" to other better films in the West.
I am about to shatter your illusions here, so for those of you who wish to continue to delude yourselves and blindly worship your hero-director of choice, look away.
Kiarostami's insistent use of Black and White? The "real reaction" by using untrained actors? Obviously classic Stanislavsky.
Satrapi using a Black and White Comicbook to depict yet another "How the revolution ruined my teen-age life" by [insert any Iranian woman's name you want here]? A complete rip off of Art Spiegelman's Maus. Chicken with Plums? Satrapi's continued film inexperience (sorry giving her credit for being an Iranian Director is far too kind) merely over sweetened an uninteresting tale of heartbreak, despair and suicide.
Sometimes people who deeply wish they were creative, and talented, simply aren't. Most of the time those people move on and do other things. Often great things. But Iranians it seems think they should forge ahead with the thing. Often disastrous things.
Satrapi conning Parraud to help her on "Plums" indicates she knows this. Thankfully the resulting disaster seems to indicate we won't have to agonize over another Satrapi exercise in self-therapy. (Get a real therapist Mademoiselle!)
Sorry. I know this must sound harsh. That's just the truth, so bear down on it. Because there's more.
Neshat's "Women without Men" was primarily a film made by Neshat, for Neshat. Most cannot relate to a film focused on "...material so relentlessly dark - suicide, rape, eating disorders and repression - that the film will satisfy only Iranian history buffs and devoted Neshat fans."
I am not only not a devoted Neshat fan, I am not a fan at all, so like most I was lost in her attempted translation of Parsipur's already confusing book. The rest of the film culminating in some sort of bizarre over the top obvious metaphor of the prostitute "scrubbing herself clean" until she bleeds, is merely melodramatic. Or the continual case of Neshat out-acting and upstaging her own work of art.
One more and I'm done, I promise. Unfortunately so will Iranian Cinema.
Farhadi. After trying and failing with these continuous OCD-like films (what is it now 6?) about failing marriages and relationships in modern Islamic meticulously hejab'd Iran, Farhadi finally found the light and camera style the French and Americans who like the French, like.
Taking a generous portion from "Divorce Iranian Style" a superb and far better film, a 1998 documentary by Kim Longinotto and Ziba Mir-Hosseini, Farhadi merely re-purposed it to the typical delight and zeal of government censors, and packaged it for the Western European audiences. Who naturally love it. As they do each filmmaker who comes from a country that is seemingly poking the US in the eye that year. One year it was actually a Viet-Namese director!
Then, Farhadi in the now stereotypical cowardly Iranian filmmaker fashion leaves the ending hanging. Always the ending must be hanging. Because that's supposedly what all thought evoking films do.
Of course they do! You didn't finish the thought for the viewer! You can't leave the plot open and call it evocative! Have the balls to make a final statement!
But no. Always out of fear of the ever listening and ever watchful government censors in robes, the Iranian filmmaker from the Iranian government run film factory, will leave you hanging.
Because it's more evocative.
If "Separation" wins the Oscar, the Iranian government should run up onstage to accept the award. Because it (and Farhadi) is their baby.
I expect Khamenei to say, "See what good things can happen if you give Islam a chance? Islam can even conquer the Oscars!"
My favorite film of the year?
"Drive". Written by Hossein Amini. In my opinion, Amini pushed aside "Pulp Fiction" on my list of all time best films.
We need to demand more and better from our artists. Most of what we have seen so far is pure copycatting, and pure cowardly unimaginative shit.
To read more bahmani posts visit: //brucebahmani.blogspot.com/
.
by Tiger Lily on Thu Feb 09, 2012 03:58 PM PST.
Iranian movies will be judged on a first come first served basis
by Esfand Aashena on Thu Feb 09, 2012 05:59 AM PSTFirst of all Oscar awards are for American movies, just like Fajr awards are for Iranian movies. Oscars are noteworthy and the "Superbowl of movie awards" if you will because Hollywood has the longest history of Cinema, spends the most on movies and have the biggest shares of sales.
Now there are plenty of Iranian movies who have won foreign awards in countries other than America, but there are only a handful of either Iranian movies or of Iranian heritage that have been nominated for an Oscar.
You mention Persepolis, which was nominated for an Oscar but because it was an animation, it was nominated in the animated movie category. Now in that year the competition was Ratatoulie which was a masterful animation and really no match for Persepolis. Chalk that one up for bad luck for Persepolis for being nominated in the same year. If it was any other year, there would've been more chances. Don't forget Persepolis won numerous awards other than Oscar.
Then you have Children of Heaven which was again nominated for an Oscar but it lost to Life Is Beautiful which won 3 Oscars for, best foreign film, best actor AND most importantly Best Picture of the Year. So again challk that one for bad luck for being nominated in the same category as a heavy weight. Children of Heaven didn't have any political braveness or background.
You also mentioned Offside. Well one of the requirements for a film to be nominated for an Oscar is that the film to be shown at least one week on screen in a movie theatre in the country where that film was made. Offside didn't get a permit to be shown and only a DVD release despite the campaign to allow authorities to show it only one week.
About Elly was at best something like House of Sand and Fog where the movie itself wasn't nominated for anything but had 3 nominations for best actor, actress and musical score. About Elly was nowhere near as worthy.
So in conclusion I do not agree with the premise of your article. I have seen arguments like yours where they say why Separation and not all these other movies? Well because for one thing Separation was better! Just because you think there are better movies doesn't make it so! Other movies haven't even won any foreign awards much less an Oscar.
Separation has a universal message that many can relate to and it is the sign of our time, internationally. It is also well written, well played and well made.
Not everything that is made and is good is worthy of an award. See at least a dozen foreign films who have won an Oscar and then you'll find out why they've won and why other Iranian movies have not made it.
Everything is sacred
Berlinale
by radius-of-the-persian-cat on Thu Feb 09, 2012 05:58 AM PSTDear Anahid and Darius, glad to hear that my view is not totaly singular, although many others might not share it. I know that the "professional" critics in the media also found some points to complaine about Shirin Neshats "Woman without Men". But who cares.
I had a look at the program of the Berlinale Festival that starts tomorrow. This years focus went completely onto the "Arabellion" countries, many movies from Egypt, Lebanon, and onto russian/soviet cinematography.
In the "Young Talents" section there is a 10min short-movie "A little suicide" by Ana Lily Amirpour (//www.berlinale-talentcampus.de/story/94/3594...) She is obviously of Iranian descendent from the LA based emigrants community.
Darius, in case you want to come to Berlin and do an interview with her: I assume she will be there to present her film on 15th and 17th of February.
greetings Radius
Very Good Observations
by Darius Kadivar on Thu Feb 09, 2012 01:12 AM PSTI agree !
Good read and intelligent overview of the current productions both inside and outside Iran and the way they are percieved by either being over estimated or under valued.
Thanks for sharing !
Thanks radius for a great blog
by Anahid Hojjati on Wed Feb 08, 2012 05:26 PM PSTDear radius-of-the-persian cat, I enjoyed reading your blog.
Unfortunately with regards to different art forms in Iran, it is the worst with movies. A poet in Iran can write his/her poetry since no license is required. Even though there is threat of censorship and in cases, there are consequences to writing the wrong poem, article or story but unlike a movie, not every step of the creative process (or at least many steps of it) has to happen under IRI eyes.