Iranian Cinema
Iranian cinema began as a luxury for upper class citizens. It was first introduced by the Mozaffareddin Shah ( 5th Shah of the Qajar Dynasty) whom discovered it on a trip to france. When he arrived back in Iran, he wrote in his diary, "the machine projects on the wall and shows people in motion". He requested birthing ceremonies, celebrations, and weddings to be filmed and shown in the royal palace.
1906: Constitutional Revolution
The first feature length film was created by an American- Iran immigrant from Russia named Ovans Ohanian. It was called "Abi and Rabi" and finished production in the year 1930. Majority of the films produced during this era were modeled after silent films, advernture films, and melodramas.
Ovans Ohanian created the first acting school called The Cinema Artist Education Center. It focused on training actors and actresses.
The Lor Girl was Iran's first " Talkie" it was produced in 1933 and explored the differences between the current regime and the security the people felt under the rule of the Qajar Dynasty. Cinema during this time focused on news reels of current events such as the horse races, construction of the railway system, and the Anglo- Persian oil company.
World War Two
Expansion of the film industry led to the creation of the School of Television and Cinema which was established in 1969. This school encouraged ameatur film makers to pursue a career in film, and specifically sought out cross- cultural films to be shown in the Tehran International Film Festival, which began in 1972. The Film festival was created to promote the expansion of Cinematography and express humanitarian values. Submissions from various nations where excepted, facilitating the free exchange of ideas. This encouraged writers to be socially conscious.
Dubbing is the process of replacing the sounds that where produced in accordance to the film being shot with different sounds or new dialogue. This improved film distribution and increased the Iranian citizen's demand for film as films were now able to be tailor made for them.
Ex: Adding Indian sound tracks over American sound tracks
Depictions of War and Terrorism
Often war is depicted as political shock theatre, however, in Iranian cinema, films focus on Iranians as the victims of war, the consequences of war ( mourning process of loved ones), and how citizens struggle to maintain some since of normacy.
Peresepolis (2007) is a film that was produced by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud. It is based upon a graphic novel wrote by Satrapi. It tells the coming of age story of a young girl, whose parents are very liberal and oppose the rule of the Shah. As a result, they welcome the installation of the new traditional Islamic regime. However, once the new governmental power enforces strict sanctions, their family is often imprisoned and executed. Normal behaviors in America such as smoking and wearing lipstick are criminalized in Iran. The family chooses to send their daughter away to school to receive an education.
The comic book style of the film contributes to the viewers satirical critic of the new reigme. It causes the viewer to see the restrictions as ridulous or outrageous.
The veil becomes a symbolic prop that is supposed to represent "freedom" but really is seen as symbolic for the oppression of women.
The regime enforcers ( members of the clergy) grow on screen as they correct those who violate the new law. The portrayl of them stretching across the screen and hovering above iranains signifies their dominant position in society.
Similar to Amir in The Kite Runner, when she returns home she does not recognize her homeland and feels as if she herself is a tourist.
This film depicts the biography of a female film director, Forough Kia, similar to Out of Africa. She is a film director who must make a t.v. show about the perfect Iranian mother. The film is significant because it displaces very "taboo" situations, the main character is a divorced single mother who has an affair.
Symbolic prop: The wearing of the Veil which represents the mother having a voice in society and it being taken.
- A photograph is the center of the frame in a scene. A shadow is cast over half of the photo depicting the side of her self she shows the public and the side of her self she hides.
The male lead is never visually seen in the movie, this displays the strict definition and acceptableness of sexual relationships in the country.
The House is Black depicts the socio-economic effects of being physically disabled in Iran before the revolution. By detailing the lives of the lepers in the Babadaghi Leper Colony, a new type of Documentary called "Radical Humanism" is created.
The opening scene's Mise-en- scene is of a child who reads from a book "Lord, I praise thee for having given me hands to work Eyes to see the beauty of the world”, however his fingertips and eyes are severly damaged by the disease. Themes of despair caused by oppressive regime and thankfulness to simply be alive are shown through the depiction of celebratration for daily activities.
Similarly, Kandahar ( 2001) depics the consequences of War against the Soviet Union and Taliban in which many men are disabled.
Themes: Lack of social mobility- assigned status, despair
Also a pre- Revolution film the Close up depicts the economic struggles faced by the owner of a print shop, who is currently out of work. His story resignates with many Iranians who where poor because they where unable to find work before the revolution. One day, while he is taking the bus he is reading the screen play for the movie The Cyclist. When questioned about the play he claims to be the director, Mohsen Makhmalbaf.
Themes: Self Reflextivity- exhibited in use of closeups and voiceovers that illuminate the viewers thoughts, forgiveness (family whom he frauds allows the judge to not imprison him), desperation, loss, Fear of modernization: Iranian citizens experience a feeling of loss of indiviudality and having a place in the world.
