Anahid Hojjati

Ari jaan 50,618!

Everything is sacred

Streep, not Strip.

//bit.ly/wiQGl0

An artist of renown, a substantial woman, and a great beauty. My kind of performance artist, my kind of woman. (And yes, to each their own.)

Business is business, sure, I get it. We all make choices.  And these choices define us.

As to the topic of the thread, je m'en fous. Truly.  I typically filter all this sort of media content.  

But please note: We have much more pressing matters to discuss on IC.  This is a very critical time -- a time to pay attention and to prepare.  

Entertainment Tonight can wait for tomorrow, when we have liberated Iran Zameen. 

& Salaam. 

- 

Think Clearly, Speak Straight, and Act Decisively.  Only then will you be an Iranian.

Joubin's questions

Does any one know was the artist that painted this?) 

How is her acting?  Any good? Joubin

Yes, that was a nice picture of Qajar era or probably older than that. It is ficticious and I don't know who was the painter.

   Golshifteh acting is remarkable. She is very talented lady. For example, she learned how to play piano as she was growing up. That is not something common these days in Iran.

     The video shows in less than one minute about 29 people take their clothes off. Very competitive business. I am sure all of those models wanted to be number one and I am also very much sure they wanted to be famous. Just think of someone from Iran or from a country that it's authorities punish the woman for being a woman is competing with all those models who were raied in a free society like France. All those models had opportunity to grow, but shifteh didn't have that opportunity. The people who lived under tyrany of Islamic fascist know what I am talking about. So she is way above average model in this scene. She went through hell to reach to this point. That is outstanding and needs to be aknowledged by all of her viewers.  She was raised in a cultured family. We have so many ladies like her in Iran,but they can't grow up because of some much restrictions on women these days.  

Siavash

Shazde jan

Number of clicks on nude picture of a very attractive lady is not breaking barriers. Men love beautiful young talented women, and being men, they would not mind seing nude pictures of them. So how is this breaking barriers? Also women enjoy looking at pictures of beautiful people, especially someone whom we all know.

Silver medal goes to Anomymouse

50,527 clicks for Sexiest Iranian Woman Alive.

The Gholshifteh blog has received 86,000 hits so far ... if that

... is not "beaking the barriers", then I don't know what is.

Next thing you know, someone may try to post a nude Khomeini photo ... to break another barrier ;=)

Thanks Joubin, Aynak and Roozbeh

Thanks for making note of some important concerns. Thanks Roozbeh for highlighting some of the recent arrests. Aynak, thanks for writing about sexual apartheid. It is in fact going to get worse with plans for having different textbooks for boys and girls.

Dear Mk,

1-I know what exactly you were talking about. and my reply was to the exact same sentence you said about SN :"FYI, he sees some women as whores."

2-I am pretty familiar with Rap, and know how important the swear words are to the singers and song-writers, as their main means of self-expression.

3-I am not an expert on SN either! but I have all his albums right here on my laptop -and that song too. That is not a FALSE story, and I did not make it, as I am not good at making stories! I have the song as I mentioned and he said in an interview that they did not intend to distribue it-so what is left to ask him in person?

4- I understand what the reason for your post was, and I am so sorry if you think I jumped in your conversation with Anahid. didn't mean to be rude, just felt I could share something I knew about SN- and at the same time, did not mean to say that he is a bad guy or....anything else. 

5-I liked your idea of numbering the contents of your reply,and have no idea why you stopped at number 5, so that is what I would like to do here- 

I owe you an apology, for my jumping in your conversation. 

by the way I am not a feminist. what's so interesting about being a feminist if one really believes in equality?!it seems way too outdated, well, to me.

Regards,

CallMeRed 

گلشیفته را رها کنید! پرستو و مرضیه زیر ضرب عقده‌های جنسی بازجوها

موج بازداشت‌ها از شب پیش آغاز شده. فعالینِ بی‌سابقه و پرسابقه در پایتخت و دیگر شهرها از  ترسِ شرکت در سازماندهی تحریمِ انتخابات، دستگیر شده‌اند. وضعیتِ اسف‌باری حاکم است. در برابر سرمایه‌ی عظیمِ اقتصادی و امنیتی نظام، سرمایه‌ی اجتماعیِ ما، به عوضِ تقابل با رژیم و دستِ کم همراهی و تلاش بر پیش‌بردِ سازماندهی تحریم، به هیاهویی نشسته‌اند که اگر رژیم می‌خواست، با هیچ ترفندی قادر به شکل‌دهی‌ش نمی‌شد.

حوزه‌ی عمومی، گوش تا گوش، بر تحریم انتخابات اجماع کرده است. اما هنوز هیچ تلاشی برای گسترش نفوذ آن صورت نگرفته. از برخی مسائل باید گذشت و به «جایگاه فردی» نظر داشت. اما دلیل بازداشت‌های اخیر (محمد سلیمانی‌نیا، پرستو دوکوهکی، مرضیه رسولی)، فراتر از یک پی‌گیری یک اتهام خصوصی  است. آن‌ها متهمان اجتماعی هستند. متهمانی که نیاز به پشتیبانی جدی ما دارند. آن‌ها اینک زیر چشمان دریده‌ی بازجویان اوین برهنه شده‌اند. این برهنگی به اراده نیست، به اجبار است. گلشیفته‌ی فراهانی را به حال خود رها کنیم تا در دنیای خودش، به اختیار زندگی کند و راه رسیدن به موقعیت‌های دل‌خواه‌ش را هموار کند. به داد پرستو و مرضیه برسیم

//3rahejomhoori.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/golshifteh-farahani/

Dear Siavash300

"It is aslo interesting to see some one from Iran competing with European artists as far as art concerned."

I was trying to avoid this topic, but it should be pointed out that the "artists" in this case are the photographer (pas mal), and the hair dresser (quite good) - a very evocative Persian look; somehow reminds me of Qajar period paintings. 

//www.arthermitage.org/Painting/Woman-Holding... (Does any one know was the artist that painted this?) 

That said, she is quite a lovely looking young woman. How is her acting?  Any good? 

- 

Think Clearly, Speak Straight, and Act Decisively.  Only then will you be an Iranian.

Mehrban

Brilliant statement!

Golshifteh most recent T.V appearance in France

 Thanks Anahid for this lovely blog.

  It is clear that the shot was not meant to pose sexuality, rather it is purely state of art. At the same time it has a political message for all those Islamic criminal who are trying to impose barbaric laws of arab tribe on Persians.

   Thanks Golshifteh for leading women liberation in Iran. We are proud of you.

Siavash 

www.majidbeheshti.com

On Golshifteh and Shahin

Dear CMR,

1. I was discussing the content of SN’s (Shahin Najafi) words on GF (Golshifteh Farahani) and his famous song (to which I placed several links to).

2. If you are familiar with rap singers, you realize the language they use. Some times, they use sarcasm. They may experiment with songs to see where it goes. Later, they realize they do not like it and they do not release that song. Although rap uses foul language (and sometimes very misogynist ones) but it allows radical critique of some aspects of society. It is a vehicle for expression of anger (class, race, etc).

3. I am NOT an expert on SN. I have only heard a few of his songs. Every human being makes mistakes. We have to measure people by all of their actions. I am not familiar with the story you mentioned about him. Either it is true or it is false. You (or others) should ask Najafi, if they could contact him.

4. The reason for my post was because I think Anahid misunderstood the meaning of SN words on GF. Because I have respect for Anahid, I wrote my response. There are many posters on this site, who write utter nonsense after utter nonsense. I simply ignore such folks.

5. I was not expressing my own views on whether what GF did was good or bad or whether what SN did and has done is good or bad.

I am a liberal feminist. I understand the anger of the younger generation (GF and SN). They express the feelings of a large segment of their generation. They are lashing out at the misogyny in our culture and politics. They are to their generation what Forough Farrokhzad was to her generation. Breaking taboos.

Is their actions going to help or hurt the cause? In my opinion, in the short term it will hurt the cause. What they are doing is too radical for this time in our history. It provides ammunition to the ruling fundamentalist to scare the population. The regime will portray all the opposition and the progressives and liberals as those who want women to go naked. I have serious problem with SN song where he is not critical of cheating. Cheating is wrong and hurtful whether men do it or women do it.

In sum, I have serious criticism of both SN and GF. Having said that, I know that these young and brave persons will be attacked viciously by the most reactionary and misogynist forces in our society.

In the short term, this will benefit the vf regime. Those of us who are liberals, democrats, progressives, and feminists, have to work harder in a more negative milieu.

Progress is painful. Our people are gradually going through pains of modernity. Other cultures have gone through such similar painful transitions from traditional to modern cultures and mores. During these times of transition from our conservative traditional past to modern progressive egalitarian culture, there are those who exhibit such radicalism. Our traditional society is going through what other went through much earlier and their transition was more gradual. Our transition is more rapid. If you see the movie Splendor in the Grass (Natalie Wood, Warren Beatty), Americans in the 1920 were dealing with some of the same issues that our youth are dealing with today.

I think there are better and more productive ways to fight against the reactionary, traditional, pre-modern, misogynist Islamic Republic of Iran rulers. GF and SN, like Forough Farrokhzad, are way ahead of the mores of our society. And unfortunately, the vf regime will use their tactics to frighten the masses from modernity, equality, democracy, and feminism.

My 2 cents,

Masoud

One more thought before I call it a night

I think the change in Iran will come from Reform, not the reform of the regime but the reform of the opposition. 

Ari

Hmm, the bold part of your last comment was not addressed to me before. As a general matter, I don't have a problem with that statement (what is its relevance?) you don't have to answer.  About Najafi, (I really don't know who he is) but the statement posted here is too Melodramatic for my taste so I did not focus on it.   So a good critic of it, I am not up to. 

Dear Mr.Kazemzadeh,

You say:

"Najafi does NOT see women as either Madonna or whores. Actually, he is the radical opposite of that."

اگر شاهین نجفی اینطورفکرمیکنه که شما می فرمایید، چطوردرترانه ی مطربان لوس آنجلسی که به قول خودش ازدستشون دررفته و ازیک محفل خصوصی بین مردم پخش شده -اصطلاح بیوه جنده ها روبرای  خواننده های زن لوس آنجلس بکارمیبره؟؟؟‌ و درواقع درآن واحد به سه گروه اززنها توهین میکنه و دسته بندیشون میکنه؟ حتما این هم نوعی خط شکنیه؟ که آدم هرچی لفظ رکیک و حرف مستهجن درچنته داره نثار بقیه آدمها کنه چون فکر میکنه خط شکنه و محقه که هرکاری دلش خواست بکنه؟

درضمن شخصا برای من خیلی جالب تر خواهد بود اگر بعدا بفهمم که گلشیفته فقط به صرف کارهنری این کاررو انجام داده. تا اینکه به قول شاهین نجفی خواسته باشه خط شکنی کنه- اون هم با این کار کلیشه ای و تکراری -که تقلید صرف ازدخترخانم مصری ست-فکر میکنم اصلا نیازی به این کارنداشته که بخواد خودش رو به کسی ثابت کنه. . .  

Mehrban

One way a rebuttal could go is you taking issue with my position: the opposition in the diaspora hasn't yet developed the democratic tools of discourse to avoid another familiar dictatorship, should it suddenly be given responsibily for the country.  Playing the same old martyrdom politics we will sineh zani or ourselves into another tyranny.To stay in the scope of the blog, a good critique of Najafi's madh would be in order.

Breaking taboos with or without intentions

Dear Anahid,

I enjoyed very much reading your opinion, as unfortunately we have a tendency to see individuals as either villans or hero.   There is absolutely no reason to elavate one to the rank of one Madonna or the other Madonna, for an action that may be based on self promotion etc.

However if you look at the original post on IC, bulk of the initial reactions, was against this video and picture, with a common theme like this:

--Oh this is what she means by freedom?

--Why is she so full of herself?

--She is using this to promote herself

.......

In other media outlets I follow, initially the same pattern of reaction developed:  Condemnation.

Now I would not suggest, a counter move of absolute adorance is appropriate, and had this been any of the 170 or so countries in the world this would not have mattered.   However, we are talking about Iran, where female gender is the first and the most pronounced victim of sexual apartheid.   Forced covering of women is the main pillar of this system, as the only remaining "islamic" part, and of course if you travel to Iran, you would know it best as a woman. In Persian we have the saying:  "Aubeh Paaki ra roy dast ksy rykhtan"   And I think that is exactly knowingly or unknowingly Shifteh did, regarless, the impact is no less.

So can there be a taboo breaking part to what Golshifteh did, with or without her knowledge?

For several reason I would argue yes:

1-The pictures/video are not suggestive poses like one would find in a porn magazine (although nothing wrong with that either).  Instead, that they are made in black and white, with no make up and almost in a challenging way, in the case of Shifteh to me was making a simple statement: 

Here's a body and there is nothing to be affraid of or ashamed of, look at it and deal with my freedom, because it is my right.

2-Other than what Shifteh may or may not have intended, there are thousand of posts and emails, and sure some may focus on her physicque, but the majority of the exchanges (take the sample on this site) is about --HER ACTION--.   The action that attacks the most barbaric practice in Iranian socieity today:  ENFORCEMENT OF HEJAB BY DRAGGING A WOMAN FOR "BAD" APPEARNCE LIKE A CRIMINAL IN THE STREET, AND SHOVING HER INTO A POLICE CAR FOR INTEROGATION ....

But I look at it also from this angle:   An Iranian women in Iran asking herself, how come she can bare her breast, and I can not  bare my hair?  (Now before you say Iranian women do not need Shifteh's to tell them how oppressed they are, remember, not everyone thinks like you, and many could use the help:)).  

3-Lastly, I do feel many Iranian see themselves as victims of Islamic Regime, so long as their own sphere of comfort is violated.  However, they still do not have respect nor tolerate beyond their comfort zone. May be at least this would have the effect of people who may feel uncomforable with this, at least realize that as their own issue, and not something they would have to stifle the subject of that discomfort.

thanks Nader, Mehrban, Siavash and Souri jan

for reading my blog and commenting. also thanks to all commentators on this thread who have raised the level of discussion from simply "movafegham, mokhalefam" to a higher degree by mentioning issues such as impact of golshifteh action, importance of it, etc. i also liked ari's geometry comment and the game discussion where mehrban noted that golshifteh is getting us closer to the day that posing nude is not such a big deal.

Ari

 If I have misunderstood your comment it is not intentional.  But I don't think I have.  

Cultural revolution leading by Golshifteh

Seems we are entering in the new era of Iran's history. 

    Nice shot Golshifteh. You broke all the traditional taboos that segregated Iranian women over centuries. It is aslo interesting to see some one from Iran competing with European artists as far as art concerned.

Wishes you success and prosperity,

Siavash

Mehrban

Debate your opponent's point. Finding the easist way to misunderstand someone is not the object of discussions. If you think it is, please convince me as to its utility.

قند علی لختش قشنگه

درود بر سرکار استوار که جهل سال پیش این رو گفت.  حالا یه ممه اینقدر جار و جنجال نداره.

"let's upset the game board"

Ari, this is your description of her act, inhibited by your own intellectual framework.

She has gone well beyond the game board.  She is not playing the same game anymore.  She has moved on and has moved us on.   Can't turn it back.   

You say "Looking forward to the day when an Iranian actress can pose nude without starting a  culture war",  I say GSF got you a few days closer to that day.

Mehrban, number of clicks, bad measuring stick!

Already pointed out and explained by Souri.

I'm pleased that Anahid spotted one of Iran's social ills from clues in literature (Najafi's madh of Farahani).  Possibly going beyond Anahid's original scope, proponents of the current order and a few of those opposed to it can be abstractly placed in the same bin just as a triangle and a square are both polygons except with different number of sides. To be a pyramid or a cube however a new dimension is needed. Nothing of what I have experienced or read from the "let's upset the game board" proponents has convinced me that extra dimensions are accessible to them. They are still differentiating themselves from the status quo by the number of sides and do not transcend the obsoleted intellectual plane. This is why sineh zani in a modern Iranian artist living abroad is a disappontment.

Najafi's feminist video

Anahid jaan,

The is the same song, but with better photos for the video.  It is less than 3 minutes. 

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDol15SZ1po&feature=related

Whenver it comes to nudity, all the old ....at IC are bassijed

Dear Mehrban,

I don't agree with you that the number of the clicks is something significative about the meaning or the importance of Goshifteh's action. As you might be aware already, the Nudity and Sex are the subjects which have always drowned all of our male (and naturally  female ) users to the site.

That's something typically related to our culture, not to the  today's context of Iranian politics.

Respectflly;

Thanks Masoud, Ari and CallMeRed for comments

masoud jan, i will watch videos you posted later on. thanks for the links.

 dear ari, i also saw too much sinee zani in najafi's comment. perhaps masoud' links provide more insight.

 i agree callmered. what golshifteh did does not require our approval or disapproval. now if she does more regarding awareness of oppressive hejab rules in iran, that would be something. posing nude is not the only form of activism even for artists. we have to make sure that it does not become so because that would be a disservice to all political activists. so men get to direct movies, run websites and political organizations in order to oppose oppression and women pose nude? not right in my book.

We can pretend that what Golshifeh has done isn't significant

The fact is that in the context of Iranian politics, what she has done is huge.  We can all try to down play it, but the fact is she has energized the dissent camp in a way (for example) that Mr. Farhadi failed or did not care to do.  Look at the number of clicks, it speaks for itself.  

Anahid jaan, the comment is not directed at you or anyone in particular.  Maybe a bit to the status quo camp.

Najafi's songs for Neda and Taraneh Mousavi

Najafi for Neda:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6GET9sNiSg

Najafi’s song for Taraneh Mousavi (who was tortured, raped and murdered by the Islamic Republic of Iran officials):

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-4VsmdXVaI