Iran has a long, rich filmmaking tradition; Iranian movies have
been recognized in every corner of the world. Yet Iranian films made
on the subject of war have rarely been shown outside of the country.
This groundbreaking selection of narrative films presents the bitter
experience of war, not from the front lines but from the experience
of ordinary people. It demonstrates how lives, friendships, families,
childhood, and love are affected by war. These stories reveal the
everyday world of Iranians, distant from the centers of political
power, but close to the tragedy and brutality of conflict.
"For Americans who want to look beyond the reductive image of Iran
presented by the U.S. media, Iran’s cinema offers an alternative
that is fascinating, even astonishing, for its artistic sophistication
and passionate humanism."
- Godfrey Cheshire, Iranian film scholar
Curated by Asal Shakeri with Fereshtah Taerpour. Special thanks to
Farabi Cinema Foundation, Cima Media International, and The Institute
for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults.
Bashu, Little Stranger Sept. 8, 10
Kimia Sept. 8, 10
The Legend of Love Sept. 9, 10
The Adult Game Sept. 9, 13
From Karkheh to Rhein Sept. 9, 13
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BASHU, LITTLE STRANGER Sept. 8, 10
Bahram Beizai. 1989. 117 min. NR.
Iran, in Farsi/Arabic/Gilaki with subtitles.
Fleeing
the war zone,
a young boy finds himself in a faraway town where he doesn’t
even speak the language.
A young mother befriends him, helping to ease the painful
memories of war as he develops new hope for the future. Beautifully
expressing the possibility of peace and tolerance amid diversity and
conflict, this is one of the most acclaimed films from post-revolutionary Iran.
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KIMIA Sept. 8, 10
Ahmad-Reza Darvish. 1995. 92 min.
NR. Iran, in Farsi with subtitles.
At the onset
of the Iran-Iraq War, Reza rushes his pregnant
wife to the hospital but is forced to leave and is captured before the
baby is born. Nine years later he returns home to learn that he
has lost everyone except his daughter, who has been raised
by the doctor who delivered her. Reza faces the torturous
decision of whether to claim his child or leave her with the
woman she knows as her mother.
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THE LEGEND OF LOVE Sept. 9, 10
Farhad Mehranfar. 2000. 83 min.
NR. Iran, in Farsi with subtitles.
The story
of a young Kurdish woman who journeys through the mountains of Kurdistan
to find her beloved, who is working in a clinic to help the war-struck
people of his homeland. Her travels take her into an ancient land
of high cliffs and deep-rooted beliefs, offering her a chance to explore
the rich layers of ancient Kurdish legend and tradition.
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THE ADULT GAME Sept.
9, 13
Kambozia Partovi. 1992. 85 min. NR.
Iran, in Farsi with subtitles.
In an Iraqi-occupied Iranian town, two
young survivors care for a baby they find among the
bodies of victims of the invasion. The fact that they are children
themselves gives this powerful story extra resonance. Their
survival, innocence, and humanity are threatened as they attempt
to care for each other when thrust into the violence and lawlessness
of war. |
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FROM KARKHEH TO RHEIN Sept. 9, 13
Ebrahim Hatamikia. 1993. 90 min. NR. Iran, in Farsi/German
with subtitles.
Two years after the Iran-Iraq
War, one of the many victims of chemical warfare arrives in Germany seeking
treatment for his damaged eyes. His poignant reunion with his
sister, who is married to a German, raises disturbing
questions about the legacy of war and the enduring effects
of chemical weapons. Winner of the Best Picture award
at the Fajr Film Festival (Tehran).
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