Asghar Farhadi Triumphs As An Artist But Fails As A Citizen

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Asghar Farhadi Triumphs As An Artist But Fails As A Citizen
by Darius Kadivar
21-Feb-2011
 

Attributing Berlin's Golden Bear to Asghar Farhadi for "Nader and Simin, a Separation" along with a recognition for his cast of stars, the Jury of the Berlin Film Festival was taking an unambiguous political stance. Yet Farhadi as well as his cast and crew members failed to live up to the moment. (See Related News Here)



VOA Coverage of Asghar Farhadi winning Berlin’s Golden Bear and his reaction:

 

Fardin – Ma Dareem Har Rooz Meemeereem (See Below for Explanation) :

Eversince their first recognition’s on the world stage and in Film festivals after the Revolution, the Iranian film and Arts community has oftensent sent mixed signals as to where they stand in regard to the Iranian regime.Partly due to fear of répression but also at times because they depend on the Regime’s cultural policies and subventions in order to showcase their films both Inside and outside Iran. At best they have been politically correct or neutral towards thesocial and politcal situation in their county, at worst a minor few have beencontributing to the regime’s propaganda machine. Given the brutal nature of the Islamic Republic and the often absurd levels of religious supervision over the contents of their films one can Wonder if they even have the Choice ?

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IRANIAN FACING CENSORSHIP by Darius KADIVAR

WHY AM I STILL BEING KEPT HERE? By Darius KADIVAR

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Satrapi's Persepolis Criticized byIranian Authorities by Darius KADIVAR

BINOCHE NUE by Darius KADIVAR

Banned Hollywood Dream: Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani troubled over a Body of Lies By Darius KADIVAR

On the otherhand in recent years and particularly since the crackdown of all opposition to the régime since last year, many Iranian artists, actors,directors, poets, writers, journalists have prefered self exile joining their fellow colleagues in the Diasporawho left decades ago at the time of the revolution. To name a few, the Makhmalbaf Family, Bahman Ghobadi, Golshifteh Farahani, Nargess Kalhor(daughter of Mehdi Kalhor, who is President Ahmadinejad’s cultural advisor) to name a few have prefered to leave the country than remain working in an environment which hinder’s their work and lives. The choice of leaving is not an easy one and as such those who choose to remain in the country have to cope with the reality of working condition’s back home.

As such AsgarFarhadi and Kiarostami are no exception to the rule.

In 2010 a group of well known Iranian filmmakers visited Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi Amoli in his office in Qom. The group included MajidMajidi, Reza Mirkarimki, Mohammad-Mehdi Asgarpur, Mohammad-Mehdi Heidarian,Mohammad Davudi and several other cineastes, Persian press reported onThursday. Ayatollah Javadi Amoli asked the cineastes to discard the terms of'play' and 'acting' from the art literature.  ( Read More Here : IranianCineastes Majidi, Asgarpur, Mirkarimi, Heidarian pay a visit to an Ayatollah inQom (Mehr News Agency, December12th, 2010)

However to his credit Kiarostami did speak up in last Year’s Cannes Film Festival in far less ambiguous terms in support of not Only his fellow colleague Jafar Panahi but also the Iranian People  at large in their Struggle for Democracy. Even if his support seemed like a last minute gesture motivated by public pressure in seing him take a stance in regard to the uprising in Iranwhich was brutally clamped down. ( See Ghobadi's bitter critics expressed in LA Times)

Kiarostami Talks about Jafar Panahi at Cannes Film Festival (2010):

In addition Kiarostami also displayed a bold stance on several occasions during his career at a time when it was not fashionable noreasy to speak up as an independant minded artist.

Ghazieh shekle aval shekle dovvom :

Abbas Kiarostami’s brilliant demonstration of how injustice can be displayed in a familiar environment in aclassroom and asks personalities on how they would respond in such a specfic situation. Interviews  range from iranian Artists, actors and even politicians artists in the public eye ranging from Sadegh Gobtzadeh to Ibrahim Yazdi to Khalkhali the Hanging Judge

( NOTE : To Watch Video Double Click Here)


Abbas Kiarostami discusses censorship :

Abbas Kiarostami discusses his reception in the West :

Abbas Kiarostami dedicates his Akira Kurosawa Award (at the San Francisco International Film Festival) by promptly giving it away to honour Legendaryactor Behrouz Vossoughi ( a Prominent Star in Pre-Revolution Iran) :


On the other hand the works of both of these excellent directors are not particularly politically tainted but rather social and moral (not to say at times "moralist") tales.

But then who can today claim to work or analyze Iraniansociety even from a purely creative standpoint without having a political outlook on what is going on in the country ?

Wouldn’t it have been far more courageous and honest had the women come without the Roosary and had Farhadi made a Very Firm and Unambiguous statement against the Regime which is oppressing the people including their fellow colleagues in Iran ?

It seems to me that this attitude only comforts many IRI Apologists who wish to present the current crisis in Iran as merely a civil rights movement. An interpretation endorsed by many other Muslim Intellectuals like the Sadri Brothers or Hamid Dabashi who refute secularism either openly or in disguise behind academic mumbo Jumbo :



COLUMBIA PRESENTS: Academic Excellence With Hamid Dabashi & Sadri Bros


LOST IN TRANSLATION: NIAC Welcomes Hamid Dabashi on Advisory Board

Flynt Leverett & Hamid Dabashi: Iranians do not wantto overthrow the Islamic Republic :

As much as I fully understand that these artist wish toreturn to IRan and work there and as such their decision should be respectedand is respectful in it's own right. Yet I very much doubt that Bahman Ghobadi,Mohsen Makhmalbaf and many other famed names have chosen exile because they like it but in order to be much more vocal in denouncing what is going on inIran.

Colin Firth Presents Bahman Ghobadi's powerful film

 

BECAUSE SHE TOOHAS A VOICE: Colin Firth Speaks Up For Sakineh M. Ashtiani 


As such clearly a drift seems to have appeared within the Iranian Film and Arts Community as to how they should publicly situate themselves in regard to the Iranianrégime including in the Cultural Arena .

Directors Marjane Satrapi and Makhmalbaf testify onelection fraud in Iran, EU Parliament Brussels (06-17-09) :

Golshifteh Farahani's use of "Allah o Akbar" inher latest song « Jostojouye Sarnevesht » isalso another ambiguous message.

In conclusion all I can say to their credit is Asghar Farhadi (

(born 1972 in Khomeini Shahr) and his actors and actress’ who are playing in this film essentially grewup under the Islamic Republic and as such have known no other era or lifestyle with which they feel entirely comfortable other than the Islamic one.

As such we should probably not judge them abruptly.

However Mr. Asghar Farhadi  and his talented cast could learn one or two things from Isabella's mother :

Isabella Rosselini's Mother : Ingrid Bergman Chose Exile to Fight the Nazi's through her Art. Maybe it can serve as an inspiration to Mr. Asghar Farhadi and Co who have chosen a convenient Neutrality in the face of Tyranny !

(NOTE : To WatchDouble Click Here ) 

On a Final Note Congratulations to Asghar Farhadi for the Award as well as his excellent, and talented cast particularly the female leadswho are breathtakingly beautiful even with their scarfs:

BERLIN TRIUMPH:Golden Bear for "Nader and Simin, A Separation"

VIVE LE CINEMA ! … Nevertheless

 

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A MATTER OF CONSCIENSE

ARTS AND CITIZENSHIP

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Fardin the Legendary Film Star in his last Public appearance : « Ma Dareem Har Rooz Meemeereem »(i.e : « we are dying everyday ») :

Unhappy by the treatment of actorsand actress' by the Islamic Republic after the revolution of 1979, LegendaryActor Fardin speaks bitterly in 1992 at Ali Tabesh's memorial service. Fardinwas one of the guest speakers. When Fardin himself passed away in 2000, a crowdof over 20,000 mourners gathered to pay their respects (See BBC Report). 

 

Fereidoun Farrokhzad on the intellectual Responsability of an Artist in Society:

Fereidoun Farrokhzad in exile explains whyhe got involved in Politics  and chose in particular to support the Restoration of the Monarchy despite his leftwing preferences

THE LIFE OF OTHERS :

The Lives of Others (German: Das Leben der Anderen) is a2006 German drama film, marking the feature film debut of filmmaker FlorianHenckel von Donnersmarck. The film involves the monitoring of the cultural scene of East Berlin by agents of the Stasi, the GDR's secret police. It stars Ulrich Mühe as Stasi Captain Gerd Wiesler, Ulrich Tukur as his chief Anton Grubitz, Sebastian Koch as the playwright Georg Dreyman, and Martina Gedeck as Dreyman's lover, a prominent actress named Christa-Maria Sieland.

The film was released in Germany on 23 March 2006. At the same time, the screenplay was published by Suhrkamp Verlag. The Lives of Others won the 2007 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

The LivesOf Others (eng-subs) - 2 - Exposing Moral:

The LivesOf Others (eng-subs) - 2 – Spying on Artists private conversations:

Golshifteh Farahani Explains the Iranian"system" reflected in Asghar Farahani’s  movie "About Elly" :

Golshifteh appeared in Sexy outfit andwithout the veil at the time of her first Hollywood Film « Body of Lies » :

 

Theo Van Gogh Tribute:

Theo Van Gogh (23 July 1957 – 2 November 2004) was a Dutch film director, film producer, columnist, author and actor. He was the great-grandson of Theo van Gogh, who was the brother of artist-painter Vincent van Gogh.

Van Gogh worked with Somali-born writer Ayaan Hirsi Ali to produce the film Submission, which was critical of the treatment of women in Islam. On 2 November 2004 he was assassinated by Mohammed Bouyeri, a Dutch-Moroccan Muslim. The last film he completed before his death, 06/05, is a fictional version of the assassination of politician Pim Fortuyn.

 

 


Dariush Mehrjui’s THE COW :

Dariush Mehrjui speaks about his classicand most controversial movie "GAV" aka "THE COW",which was made during the Pahlavi era and was faced with some censorship at thetime but which finally was released due to its International critical success in Film Festivals worldwide. It should be noted that Mehrjui's perfect Englishis also due to the fact that he studied Film at UCLA's film department back inthe 1960's.

Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s BOYKOT aka BOYCOTT :

Mohsen Makhmalbaf's Political Manifesto "Boykot"aka "Boycott" against the Shah's Regime's arbitrary Political Trials in what corresponds to his early"revolutionary" years of cinematographic activism. 

Valeh (Majid Majidi), imprisoned during the reign of the Shah for his membership in a leftist organization, is put to public trial and questions his beliefs andnearly goes mad due to the immense pressures of prison life and the brutalmethods employed by SAVAK.

Khosro Sinai’s VIVA (1979):

Iranian filmmaker Khosrow Sinai's featurefilm based on the Revolution of 1979 entitled "VIVA !". Clearly influenced by the works of Costa Gavras' Stage of Siege and "Z" thefilm seemed to draw parallels between the Iranian Revolution and those whichtook place in South American dictatorships like in Chili particularly in its machiavelic depiction of the behaviour of the Shah's Military during thedark hours of the Revolution.

NOTE: Khosrow Sinai is also the author of a magnificent and essential documentary entitled Lost Requiem about the fate of the Polish refugees in Iran during WWII.

Pouran Farrokhzad Sister of Forough (who still lives in Iran) and Fereidoun speaks about what his Brother did for war children :


Farrokhzad explains Khomeiny’s Green Book ( Tozihol Massael) in Public in a concert in London (Mid 1980’s):

Farrokhzad – Iroony Boodan :

May 68 Revolution on the Riviera: François Truffaut, Jean Luc Godard, Louis Malle and Roman Polanski give a press conference to demand an End 
to the Cannes film festival May 18, 1968 :

The 'Life of Brian' Debate (1979):

Shortly after the film was released,Cleese and Palin engaged in a what would become an infamous debate on the BBC2 discussion programme Friday Night, Saturday Morning, in which Malcolm Muggeridge and Mervyn Stockwood, the Bishop of Southwark, put the case against the film. 

Muggeridge and the Bishop had arrived 15 minutes late to see ascreening of the picture prior to the debate, missing the establishing scenes which demonstrated that Brian and Jesus were two different characters, andhence contended that it was a send-up of Christ himself. 

Both Pythons laterfelt that there had been a strange role reversal in the manner of the debate,with two young upstart comedians attempting to make serious, well-researched points, while the establishment figures engaged in cheap jibes and pointscoring

EbadiFinally Get’s It :

Iranian Nobel Peace Laureate of 2003 said"An Islamic Human Rights is wrong both 

Theoretically and Politically" at the Carnegie Endowment Conference covered by FORA TV. 

 


Frost over the World - Mohsen Makhmalbaf - 27 Nov 09 :

The celebrated Iranian filmmaker was a spokesman for Mir-Hossein Mousavi in June's elections. He talks about the progress of Iran's Green Revolution.

Nargess Kalhor daughter of Mehdi Kalhor,Ahmadinejad’s cultural advisor (who infamously tried in vain to ban Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis in Cannes, in 2007) :

Part I :

Part II :

Part III :


Manoochehr Vossough on his life andcareer  in Pre Revolution Iran:

Watch as Manoochehr Vossough speaks exclusively to Bebin as he reflects on his incredible life as a legendary actorin Iran before the Revolution!


Reza Beyk Imanverdi reflects on his life and career :

Part of a documentary by Mr. Sohrab Akhavan (www.filmexmedia.com) on Reza Beyk Imanverdi. This clip was made in2002 one year before Beyk Imanverdi's passing away.

Actress Shohreh Aghdashloo introduced Speech of Shapour Bakhtiar on Jameh Jam:

Jackie K. Cooper interviews Sir Ben Kingsley & Shohreh Aghdashloo, stars of "House Of Sand And Fog." :

Aghdashloo Wins an Emmy for « TheHouse of Saddam » :
Press conference with actress Shohreh Aghdashloo at the 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. Ms. Aghdashloo won theEmmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Miniseries Or Movie for her portrayal of Sajida in HBO's 'House Of Saddam'.


Press Call:


Gladiatorha: MohsenNamjoo music video directed by Mostafa Heravi :

Nazanin Afshin Jaam – Someday :

English Version

Persian Version :


French Iranian writer and Activist Chahrdott Djavann denounces Islamists in a Book « Bas Les Voiles »presented on French TV :



Golshifteh Farahani Jostojouye Sarnevesht :

Golshifteh Farahani va Mohsen Namjoo –Hamash Delam Meegeereh :


Golshifteh Farahani Shahzadehyeh Geseyeh Man :


KIOSK – Eshgeh Sorat directed by Ahmad Kiarostami :

EBI "TASMIM"Uncensored & Complete!! HD :

Googoosh Q Q Bang Bang :

Man Hamoon Iranam I am Iran(Eng Subtitles) :




Googoosh Ba Ham:

Googoosh & MehrdadShenasname Man :




Recommended Readings:


YES WE CANNES! ... by Darius KADIVAR



Prisoner of Conscience: Akbar Ganji and Costa Gavras' Confession BY Darius KADIVAR

NEO CON WARMONGERS? Tehrangeles Demo in Support of Iran's Greens By Darius KADIVAR


BRAVO MESDAMES!: Aghdashloo, Neshat, Reza and Farahani Shined Through 2009 Summer Season's International Awards by DK


A Director's Cut: Cyrus Nowrasteh film The Stoning of Soraya M. By Darius KADIVAR


Mona's Dream by Darius KADIVAR


Banned Hollywood Dream: Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani troubled over a Body of Lies By Darius KADIVAR



When Giants Meet: The Queen of Persian Pop greets the Shahbanou of Iran in NY Live Concert by Darius KADIVAR


Iranian Pioneers in French New Wave Cinema by Darius KADIVAR

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HHH

Dear Darioush

by HHH on

We can not do anything half-way and expect to win. He has to either show himself as a full political activist & stay out of Iran and Iranian film industry or separate himself from politics on the surface and as he said "show his political views through his movies". If he took the first road as soon as he returns to Iran he'll be taken to prison to fill the cell next to Jafar Panahi & he'll also be banned from making anymore movies for years.

He did the right thing by mentioning Jafar Panahi but not making further political statements against the regime. Some words need not be said to be heard.

Always remember, they want to go back. In 1 piece!


Red Wine

...

by Red Wine on

خرّیت،بی‌ فرهنگی‌ و مال اندوزی سران یک مملکت را نباید به گردن خارجی‌ انداخت،خودمان کردیم که لعنت به خودمان باد،خیلی‌ زرنگ باشیم از این پس را حل و فصل نماییم،نه اینکه عرب را تاتار را شریک جرمی‌ بدانیم که خود جلادش بودیم.


vildemose

Bravo samsam jan. How do we

by vildemose on

Bravo samsam jan. How do we overcome our stripping of our own identity by Islamic colonizers??


Darius Kadivar

Azizan Taghseer nadareh Beechareh ;0))

by Darius Kadivar on


 Asghar Farhadi (born 1972 in Khomeini Shahr, wikipedia)

Bebakhsheedesh Beechareh ...

LOL 


Red Wine

...

by Red Wine on

سمسام جان،باور بفرمائید که خارجیان بی‌ تقصیرند،هر چه میکشیم از خرّیت خودمان است،این خودمان هستیم که تیشه به ریشه خود زده و منکر هویت اصلی‌ خودمان می‌شویم وگرنه عرب و مغول ساز خودشان را میزنند و برای ملت و تمدن خودشان ریشه فرهنگی‌ دیگر ملل را به زیر سوال میبرند .

واقعا بد زمانه یی است.

 


بت شکن

آقا صمصام گٔل گفتی‌

بت شکن


من هرجا حرف حق بزنی‌ میگم حقه  هرجام ناحق بگی‌ میگم ناحقه. فقط خدا وکیلی یه کم فارسی‌ بنویس و نه پارسی که ما هم بفهمیم.


SamSamIIII

آمين ردواين جان

SamSamIIII


 

آمين. عربا رو ببين يک صدا و با هم برای مام و عزت العربی بلند ميشن.  ببين شازده کنون دستت مياد چرا يه مشت عرب باديه نشين  500 سال بر ما تبار اريا و کيان زاد افسری کردند. به گفته فرزانه فردوسی نخست تخم داران و  دلاوران رو تو سه چار جنگ کشتند و دگر تيکه تيکمون کردند  و پس از اون هم يارگيری و مليجک پروری کردند تا روزی که به گفته پير توس ز ايران و از ترک و از تازيان نژادی بر ايد اندر ميان که نه .......  .بجايی رسيد که ميان ايرانی و ناايرانی تمايزی نبود و مرز دوست و دشمن ديگه روشن نبود و هرکی ساز خودشو ميزد که ديديم مغول چه اسون اومد تو و خود مردم به پيشوازشون که اونا رو از عرب پروران بهتر ميدونستن. الان نگاه کن يه لشگر بي هوييت بي شناسه  ولرم و بي ريشه که ادم نميدونه جد و اوادشون کيه  هم از سيخ ميخورن هم از منقل  و  واسه ايران  ايده ها و نسخه های جهان وطنی ميپيچن.  چی بگيم والاه.. شادی افزون شازده. 

Path of Kiaan Resurrection of True Iran Hoisting Drafshe Kaviaan //iranianidentity.blogspot.com //www.youtube.com/user/samsamsia


Red Wine

...

by Red Wine on

سمسام جان،خودت را عصبانی نکن برادر،این خلقی را که ما بینیم،حالا حالا ها در امر دستمال کشی‌ فاعلند و دلشان خوش که کبوتر حرمند !

از ما که گذشت..وای به حال نسل آینده که در بد بیراهه یی گیر افتاده است،مخصوصاً اگر هنرمند کشورش این باشد ! خاک بر سر همچین هنرمندی و همچین روشنفکری و همچین نویسنده یی ! تیر به شکم خرسشان خورد و سر کچلشان بر سر دار عدالت رود که ایزد را گواه گیریم که اینجور میهن پرستی‌ را به زیر برده و فراموش کرده اند.

ارادتمند حضرت سمسام خان هستیم.

 


Darius Kadivar

Martin Luther King on "Words of Enemies & Silence of Friends"

by Darius Kadivar on

"We will forget the words of our enemies but we will not soon forget the silence of our friends." -Dr. Martin Luther King


SamSamIIII

غلام شيخ زاده غلام شود گرچه...

SamSamIIII


 

از عبو عصغر فرتازی تا محسن چاقوکش دسمال باف از تلخگوشت عبودی تا دلقک جيره خور مديری از نامجويه مفاتيح الجنان خوان  تا نرگس کل خر و از سيد ابراهيم نبوی دودوزه  تا مسعود بدنود سياباز  و همگی لشگر فرهنگی بزرگ شده زير  بيرق ولايت قادس و جيره به نرخ روز خور امتي که نبايد تار مويی اميد بست. نه تماشاي فيلماشون ميشينم و نه گوش به ماهواره و اناليز سياسيشون و کمدی لوس و ابدوخياری و مطرب و رقاص اماراتيشون .

 مرده شور همشونو ببرن که بنا بر هوا امروز سبزن فردا زرد و پس فردا بنفش. يه جو هنر و مهن دوستی زنده ياد ممد علی فردين و قلی رضا بيک ايمان وردی ميرزه به همه تروفی و فيلم و  کمدی  ننر و اوازايه شام غريبانی اين جماعت کاسه بدسته. يه مشت بی شناسه بي ريشه امتی که هنرشون نه ريشه ملی داره نه ميهنی و نه حتی مردمي(کيان دوستي که بي خيال) بلکه تنها جفنگيات بی سر و ته  و افه گوز نيورياليستي-امتي- انتونيوني برای بزک کردن چهرۀ عمری شتری و خود شيرينی واسه ملاست.

Path of Kiaan Resurrection of True Iran Hoisting Drafshe Kaviaan //iranianidentity.blogspot.com //www.youtube.com/user/samsamsia


Red Wine

...

by Red Wine on

ما این مطلب را که جناب آقای کدیور بدان اشاره فرمودند ۲ شب قبل گفتیم اما سربسته که مبادا حضرات محترم،هم وطنان مفخم فکر ناجوری کنند ! اما حال می‌بینید و خود شاهد هستید که بعضی‌ از هم میهنان ما بسیار مردمی ساده دل‌ هستند و عمیقا فارغ الراس .. زود گول میخورند.

همانطور که در بلاگ دیگری گفتیم،این جایزه تنها برای پرستیژ هنری کشورمان خوب است و دیگر به کاری دگر خوش نیاید که هنر نیکو را انسان آزاده سازد و آنچه هنرمند تولید کند ..بسته به ذات روح و روانش است.

این روزها میهن پرستی‌ سخت شده است و همگان بینیم که چطور یک مشت پاپتی غبی‌ افکار در صدد خرابی مملکت هستند، خدا نابود کند آنانیکه اینطور به کشور خیانت میکنند.. صد سال سیاه این هنر نباشد و بی‌ شرمی و نفرین بر سازنده‌اش باشد .