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Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, April 2009, page 54 Music & Arts Annual Festival of Iranian Films
THE SMITHSONIAN’S Freer Gallery hosted its 13th annual Iranian Film Festival in Washington, DC from Jan. 9 to Feb. 22. Organized by Bo Smith of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the event was co-sponsored by the ILEX Foundation. A total of six films were screened, and the painstaking work of making it possible was well worth it to the patrons who filled the auditorium for each showing. Many audience members boasted of participating in past film festivals and reminisced about previous favorites. As one Smithsonian representative noted, Iranian films are always very simplistic in style, but point to larger societal and political issues. Manljeh Hekmat’s film “Three Women” uses each character to represent a different generation and her individual journey. In an effort to preserve an ancient carpet from being bought and taken out of Iran, Minoo, a textile expert, takes the carpet—only to lose it when her mother wanders off lost with the national treasure. Meanwhile, Minoo’s daughter Pegah goes missing, too—but within her own self-introspection. The movie follows the three women as they confront their identities and place within Iranian society. “Head Wind” investigates the use of illegal satellite television in Iran, as well as the bootleg movie industry. In his documentary-style film, Mohammad Rasoulof followed satellite installation technicians on routine maintenance calls from apartments in northern Tehran to the camp of a nomadic family. A common concern among the audience was how the director managed to expose individuals participating in black market technologies, no matter how rampant, without exposing them to possible arrests. Mehrshad Karkhani’s “Loose Rope” told the story of Mikhail and Asgar, two meat market workers faced with the responsibility of transporting a large cow from southern to northern Tehran—the latter being the city’s ritzy neighborhood. The men’s bright blue Chevrolet truck stands out on the streets of Tehran, and Asgar continually comments on how odd the chic fashion and hairstyles are in the city. Tehranis, in turn, are amazed by the presence of a cow and go out of their way to fawn over it until the situation becomes dire. Other films included in the series were: “Banana Skin” by Ali Atshani, a comedy that toys with death and the afterlife through the character Hamid, a workaholic who faces a near death experience and is visited by spirits; “Over There,” a black and white film that tells the story of Payman and Leila. Abdolreza Kahani’s work depicts the stress of the married couple, as Payman has only 10 days to return to the U.S. or lose his green card; and Dariush Mehrjul’s “Santouri: The Music Man,” the story of Ali, a popular musician, and his debilitating heroin addiction. —Nina Hamedani |
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