Apolitical thriller shot entirely in and around New York City, THE MISSION wasthe first feature directed by Parviz Sayyad following his exile frompost-Revolution Iran. The film stars Houshang Touzie as an Islamic revolutionary who undergoes a crisis of conscience when he is sent to assassinate an erstwhile colonel in the Shah's secret police. Sayyad himself plays the former SAVAK official, while the director's long time collaborator Mary Apick appears as a beautiful émigré student harshly critical of the Khomeini regime. Atonce gripping, thoughtful, and leavened by bits of comedy, THE MISSION combines narrative tension with a naturalistic depiction of quotidian life among Iranian exiles displaced to early-'80s America. Duly feted at international festivals and hailed by western critics, the film was widely considered an important work: "a masterpiece," raved the LA Weekly, by no less than "Iran's answer to Orson Welles and Woody Allen," while David Denby of New York Magazine called Sayyad's film "the first Gandhian thriller."
A 1983 political thriller shot entirely in and around New York City, THE MISSION was the first feature directed by Parviz Sayyad following his exile from post-Revolution Iran. The Story centers on a religiously dedicated, young Iranian revolutionary, sent from Teheran to New York to assassinate a former colonel in the Shah's secret police
THE MISSION (Ferestadeh) a1983 film directed by Parviz Sayyad, Starring Parviz Sayyad, Houshang Touzie,Mary Apick
AColonel's Quest THE MISSION (Ferestedah), written, produced, edited and directed by Parviz Sayyadm, from a story by Hesam Kowsar and Parviz Sayyad; inFarsi with English subtitles; camera by Reza Aria; a co-production of the New Film Group, New York, and Aria Film Production, Munich, West Germany; presentedby the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the department of film of the Museum of Modern Art, as part of the New Di- rectors/New Films Series. At the 57thStreet Playhouse, between the Avenue of the Americas and Seventh Avenue.Running time: 110 minutes. This film has no rating.The Agent from Teheran . . . . . Hooshang Touzie
The Colonel . . . . . Parviz Sayyad
Maliheh . . . . . Mary Apick
His Eminence . . . . . Mohammad B. Ghaffari
Maziar . . . . . Hatam Anvar
Farzahen . . . . . Hedyeh Anvar
Gaffar . . . . . Kamran Nozad
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V
Part VI
Part VII
Part VIII
Part IX
Part X
Part XI
Part XII
Part XIII
PARVIZ SAYYAD (b.1939)
A leading director, screenwriter, actor and producer in Iran before the 1979 Revolution, Sayyad created one of the emblematic characters of the Iranian popular cinema of the 1970s: "Samad," a country bumpkin flummoxed by the ways of the big city. Sayyad himself played the character on TV and in nine feature films over ten years. His commercial success with "Samad" and other projects allowed Sayyad to produce riskier "art films" by theauteurs of the Iranian New Wave of the '60s and '70s, including such seminal titles as STILL LIFE (1974) by Sohrab Shahid Saless, and THE CYCLE (1974/1978)by Dariush Mehrjui. The last film Sayyad directed in Iran before going intoexile, DEAD END (1977), has the double distinction of being banned by the Shahand the post-Revolutionary Islamic government. In exile, Sayyad wrote, directed and produced the critically lauded THE MISSION (1983) and CHECKPOINT (1987).Now based in Los Angeles, he tours internationally with the Traveling Theatrical Troupe, which he founded, while also producing and starring in his own weekly Persian-language TV show, broadcast worldwide on satellite TV.
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FROM FICTION TO FACT
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A Compilation of News on France 24 (English) reporting on Ali Vakili Rad's Shapour Bakhtiar's Assassin's Liberation as well and the Iranian government's official stance. Ali Vakili Rad has been offered a Job as a Tourist Guide in Iran.
Reminder of the three Assassins of Bakhtiar:
The killer of Shapour Bakhtiar back from France to Tehran:
The Mission - LA FilmFestival 23rd Anniversary Release With Cast and Crew (June 23, 2006)
Recommended Reading:
FilmReview of “The Mission” in the NY Times by VincentCanby (First Published March 30th 1983)
Related Pictory:
ROYAL MARTYR: Prince Shahriar Shafiq Remembered
HISTORY OF VIOLENCE: Man Chased by Anti Shah Protestors During Shah's US Visit (1977)
HISTORY OF VIOLENCE: First Assassination Attempt on Shapour Bakhtiar (1980)
HISTORY OF VIOLENCE: Man Arrested For Being a SAVAK Agent (1979)
FRENCH NEWS COMPILATION: On Bakhtiar's Assassin's Liberation ( France 24/Euronews)
Related Blogs:
EMPRESS OF THEARTS & HEARTS: Houshang Touzie and Shahbanou Farah (April, 22nd 2010)
MISTER"Z": Meeting Costa Gavras For "Une Journée à Tehran"
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Your Welcome MG Jaan
by Darius Kadivar on Mon Jun 06, 2011 02:14 AM PDTGlad you enjoyed this ...
Didn't know about the Cinema Rex play. Will try to look into it as well as yout other requests.
Good to see you around on IC ...
Have a Nice Week !
DK
...
by Mash Ghasem on Sun Jun 05, 2011 08:14 PM PDTDaryoush khan thank you for this gem. Sayad's repertoire has often been underlooked.
He also wrote and directed a play on Cinema Rex, with that name. It's an amazing work of drama, a bit Brechtian. This play has also been taped, but I haven't been able to find any copy of it, so far, for posting it here on IC. Perhaps, you through your connections and resources in the entertainment circles would have better luck, cheers
P.S. And never forget Hassan Kachal, either.