Esfand Aashena

Niki jaan what more is there?!

If you recall Farah stopped the production at the beginning and then after she received a trailer from the filmmaker she decided to continue.  Also, if you recall the filmmaker said that since she pushed her too much in the first go around, she doesn't want to push her too much in this go around.

Now let's say she had asked follow up questions and pushed her what would be the basis?  It's not like Sarah Palin is running for the office of Vice Presidency and it's Katie Couric's duty to expose her airheadedness!

What are some of the most discussed criticism of Pahlavis? That there was torture of political prisoners and human rights abuses as well as corruption, dictatorship and no democracy or even trying to have democracy.  They discussed those and in this day and age you're not going to make anyone change their mind, just to say it out loud.  Farah said that at the time due to cold war and Soviet Union's desire to steal Iran's oil, Shah's abuses were kosher!  Sort of like Bush-Cheney saying torture was legal.  Same arguement but now Farah has W to quote!

I think this was just a movie to go around Farah and make some kind of documentary along with the annual funeral stuff in Egypt and some basic conversations.  I really don't think there was much more to be achieved other that what was already discussed and shown in the film.  Even with that some Monarchists found Farah's decision to do this ill advised. 

Everything is sacred

Niki

Maybe she was ashamed of her part in bringing down the Shah. Maybe she realized that Farah Pahlavi is not the monster she was brainwashed to think. Perhaps she had a spark of sanity and regret.

People who demonized the Pahlavi are themselves guilty. Of bringing this hell to Iran. Many of them will never admit their mistake. But at least some may know in their hearts what they had done.

I saw this a while ago

and I agree that for the most part, Mrs. Pahlavi came across positively if somehwat not very in touch with reality, but such is with people who live on a kind of higher plane above all of us little people :)  What surprised me was that the documentary maker did so little to challenge Mrs. Pahlavi (I am not saying in a rude way, but just a little follow up questions would have been nice).  This again is no surprise to me as I find that most people who are so vociferous against the public figures they have made their own personal nemesis, suddenly shrink in their actual presence.  I don't know, are they embarassed?  Are they dazzled?  It certainly seemed funny to me that the documentary maker felt envious and upset that Mrs. Pahlavi left her behind when she was invited to the Italian fashion show.  Maybe they spent so much time together, they each came under the delusion that they had established a real friendship which is why they each felt slighted by the other when their expectations were not met?  An interesting documentary nonetheless.  

COP jaan yes "My Tehran For Sale" was great too!

That was a good movie and the Director was there and I asked a question too!  You didn't notice my question?!  Most if not all of the Iranian films that win something in a festival have a message.

As far as her going back to Iran someone asked if she is afraid and she said she just doesn't know what to expect.  It was a good movie and I could see that movie being shown in Iran if it wasn't because of the post election protests.  I've seen more critical films been shown in Iran.

I told you I'd wear some muscle shirt, can't vouch for muscle but the muscle shirt was there! 

Everything is sacred

Esfand,, did you see "my tehran for sale"?

I thought it was a powerful movie for its message. At the end the director came on stage and had a Q&A session with the audience. She claimed the movie does not try to make a point to which I say: Oh come on.... She does live in Iran and has to go back!

I looked for you in the crowd, but I know I saw Hamsade. There were only a few guys with thick eybrows and brown hair...hee hee. 

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IRAN FIRST

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We should

talk about Shah. Not only was he recent past but the institution is integrated with out national soul. After all our greatest single book Shahnameh starts with Shah!

He was a mixed bag. Mollahs are not; they are 100% rotten.

We talk about Shah because he is recent history.

COP jaan many of us remember Shah so we keep talking about him.  We don't talk about Reza Shah or Ahmad Shah!  Before us our parents would talk about Reza Shah and before them I remember my grandfather talking about Ahmad Shah!  We also keep talking about Khomeini for the same reasons.  It's not anything special.

As far as fall of the Islamic Republic due to economic woes well I don't want to discuss it in this blog, perhaps under another subject.  I think it just is what it is.

PS this week is the last week in the Iranian Film Festival and this week's film is supposed to be funny!  This year I liked "Do No Disturb" the most and then "Salve" or Marham.  I don't know how I'd rank this week's film, probably not #1 since Do Not Disturb is one of the funniest Iranian films I have ever seen!  If only the audience could not laugh out so loud, so I could laugh more! 

Everything is sacred

Esfand, what's done is done

Truly, what shah was, or wasn't is in the past. Funny though, we're still talking about him after all these years. I really do not believe that monarchy is a feasible option for Iran anymore. So, that's that.

BUT - your assertion that this regime will only fail due to the failure of economic policies, or lack there of, is a bad state of affairs for us Iranians. It reinforces the notion (my notion) of how passive we are and that "the principle of things" means didley squat to us.....That is very troubling to me as it should be to every purrrrsian.

If that's the case Esfand, then the next group of charlatans who take the helm may be just as bad the the previous ones.

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IRAN FIRST

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VPK I'm not going to get into it with you. Thanks but no thanks!

Everything is sacred

COP jaan she was imprisoned.

Her 17 year old brother was executed and her other brother jailed and looks like not executed but bailed out.  She said they asked for 4 million toman for both and then as they were looking for money they killed one so perhaps they borrowed 2 million in a rush and bought his life just in time.

As far as progress of progress and a "secular dictator" well again those are the "regrets" that Monarchists have.  Apparently they were much more dictator than secular! 

Shah left Iran in 1953 and would leave again so he was about himself and his family.  I recommend this article Sweet Snow in Farsi if you haven't read it already.  It is not only funny but very telling and also not only they were much more dictator than secular but also not so much secular!

I believe the demise of Islamic Republic will come when their economic policies fail.  Ahmadi has certainly accelerated the rogue economic policies.  We may also not live long enough to see the change and have to wait for the old guard to die and a new generation to replace them.  We may be in our 80s or 90s and by then we won't give a hoot to anything! 

Everything is sacred

Esfand Jan

When you're a 17 year old with anmempty pocket and hopes for a better future you think different than a 37 year old with an additional 20 years of experience.

When a person is 17 years old they should listen to their elders. I did. I was 17 and full of ***. I was not sure what is going on.  My parents to their credit explained what the dangers were. I listened and decided Shah was better than Khomeini.

Maybe people should use their brains. Even a 16 year old has one!

True about the perspectives, esfand jon

I am not a monarchist. I was too young and full of testastrone to even care back then. All I know is that the country was on the path of progress and yes the Shah was a dictator but secular and blah this and blah that.

I think of relative terms - This filmamker is lucky she wasn't executed by the mullahs for her revolutionary ideas (komonisti). Thousands were following the devolution when they retrurned to iran (those who were in the streets of DC yelling marg bar shah).

In my opinion, Prince chubby, as you put it, is irrelevant as he has been too far away from making his views or stance known to all (if he has any). He's been too uninvolved, shall we say, to be a player in Iran's future now that he is 51 years old.

Having said all this, we all know how the regime of the mullahs was propped up and brought to power (ehhh...by people...oh, sure), so anything is possible. Who know what's in store for Iran's future. One thing is for sure: Iran is currently in one of the darkest periods she's been for a long time.

All in all, I thought this was a good production.

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IRAN FIRST

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COP jaan she was not alone.

I didn't see this film from the perspective of discussing the revolution.  I never think in terms of having "regrets" when discussing the revolution.  I guess I have as much "regret" as Shah would "regret" himself.

Communist or not people change.  When you're a 17 year old with an empty pocket and hopes for a better future you think different than a 37 year old with an additional 20 years of experience.

I think the general underlying message was Farah herself.  Back in 1989 Barbara Walters interviewed her and followed her for a few days and there was a scene where Farah was counting change for laundry!  That whole interview seemed staged!

This film was more than 20 years later and again 20 years of more experience and reading and "regretting".  So this time she decided to approve an HBO documentary and chose the right person.  I don't think a similar film can be made for Prince chubby!  He never seems to have any "regret"!  Getting off the subject, I had promised myself not to get into Prince Chubby!  Oh well! 

Everything is sacred

I saw it on HBO

when it was on-demand (I think in 2009) cause I missed it when it aired first. I thought it was a pretty good presentation. I also thought about the irony of a once "revolutionary" individual making a movie of the entity I am sure she (once?) hated.

I also thought about the underlying message (in my opinion) that the movie might want to convey:

Baba ajab gohi khordim ANghelab kardim.......

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IRAN FIRST

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Well, I don't have any advice for the filmmaker.

Everything is sacred

a few advice

I would also give a few advice to Mrs. Nahid Sarvestani. but, i am not gonna! cause am too tired ...