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زن چینی

خیابان خلوت و تاریک بود و من آهسته قدم بر میداشتم. در چند قدمی مکدونالد زنی جلوی راهم ایستاد و چیزی گفت. اول فکر کردم گدایی میکند ولی سر ووضعش به گداها نمی خورد. سر تکان دادم که زبانت را نمیدانم ولی میدانست که نمیدانم. قبافه ام داد میزد که غریبم. او کماکان چیزهایی میگفت و بطرفی اشاره میکرد. کنجکاو او شده بودم که کیست و چه میخواهد. >>>

The Pit of Despair

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دلم برای تماشاگر ایرانی تنگ است

تصویر فرزانه تأییدی، هنرپیشه ای که در تلویزیون، سینما و یا روی صحنۀ تأتر دیده بودم برایم یک تصویر ناشناخته نبود. تصویر دوستی بود که بعد از سال ها دوباره می دیدم. اما در را که به رویم گشود زن ریز نقشی در برابرم ظاهر شد که نمی دانستم چنان چه در آغوشش بگیرم و گونه اش را ببوسم چه بسا که درهم خواهد شکست.خانه اش در غرب لندن مثل بیشتر خانه های انگلیسی ست.>>>

The eye of the tiger

This year's Cannes International Film Festival mesmerized viewers with a simple black & white animated French produced film by Iranian born Marjane Satrapi entitled Persepolis. Amidst an international selection of heavy weight feature films by such greats as Quentin Tarantino, Wong Kar Wai or Gus Van Sant, an outspoken cosmopolitan duo (Iranian Marjane Satrapi and French Vincent Paronnaud) of first time directors seduced not only the Cannes Jury but also the audience with their astonishing movie, the theme of which, resonated not only with our Post Sept 11th troubled times, but was also a historical reminder of a nation's struggle to survive.>>>

On the eve of a very real war

Most American-produced plays -- even the good ones -- are fluff when it comes to troubling contemporary issues. But Golden Thread's production of Motti Lerner's Benedictus, which I caught opening night at Portrero Hill's Thick House, is in an altogether together different class. Why? Because it presents its two principal characters -- Iran-born childhood friends, one Muslim, one Jewish, who meet at a Benedictine Monastery in Rome -- in the round. No pat movie of the week answers are provided>>>

Watch out, here they come! (part 3)

We write the songs on guitar, and when you use a standard blues line up for the recording and the sound and everything, you become a bit bluesy! And our influences; people who we grew up (and grew old!) listening to were either blues players (like Stevie Ray Vaughan or B.B King or …) or influenced by blues players (like E.C, Jeff Beck, Led Zeppelin and of course Dire Straits!), so the blues element is there, but comparing to Adam e Mamooli, I must say we are less of a blues band. Actually, we are aiming to have no label and sound like KIOSK, that’s what I am talking about when I say we are not mature enough and we still don’t have our own genuine sound, but this album was a big step for us towards that goal.>>>

Feels right

I write English like how it's spoken at the Wilton house -- the way it feels right. Chris Ransom in general is a fucked-up homie, and James Hollywood is a muthefuckeh on sherms. They sell anything out of the Wilton; hash, crack, powder, ass, and what have you.>>>

چرخ بر پیچش های خیال

شاهرخ مشکین قلم دیگر به یک صاحب سبک در رقص تبدیل شده است. او با پیچ و تاب های تنیده شده در ضرب های موسیقی، حرکات نرم و چرخش های سماع گونه این قطعات را جان بخشید. کارین گونزالس بیشتر از حرکات فلامینگو و تپ دنس در رقص خود استفاده می کرد. این حرکات به زیبایی با ضرب های موسیقی ایرانی ترکیب شده بودند. او در نقش شیرین در قطعه "شیرین در خیال" حرکات ضربه ای فلامینگو را با چرخش و عشوه های صورت و حرکات چشم و ابرو در رقص ایرانی ترکیب کرد و نشان داد که رقصنده ای با تجربه و توانا است.>>>

Fine flicks

No ‘best’ lists can ever satisfy everyone. But Bernardo Bertolucci (The Last Emperor, Last Tango in Paris) forewords this best selection - where he muses about his discovery of ‘Kamerasutra’: the magic and sensuality of the moving camera! Moreover, it is 150 films, not the traditional 100. Perhaps that additional 50 allowed the inclusion of some Asian gems like Ozu’s ‘I Was Born, But…’; Guney’s ‘Yol’; Kiarostami’s ‘Close-Up’ (though many would have preferred Kiarostami’s sublime ‘Through The Olive Trees’); and Tian Z’s ‘Horse Thief’ >>>

Last ditch effort for redemption

The song of thanksgiving for the coming of the redeemer, is Jewish in origin but Christian in tone, as the expression of redemption and hope. For instance the song is used at funerals at the moment of internment when such matters are of sudden urgency. So it is only fitting that this clever little play about an Israeli Arms dealer, and an Iranian Mullah is called "Benedictus". The play is set in a Roman church for secret meetings between estranged, and unlikely friends, to help fend off a war with the US, and the ever present specter of religion serves as the backdrop for a poignant, sometimes funny, and always eerily accurate look at Middle East tensions today, and in particular the impending war against Iran. >>>