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In Reply to: RE: Like Israel, Iran has a thriving and excellent art film industry. Prejudice against a country's posted by tinear on January 07, 2011 at 11:10:03
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We must be the change we wish to see in the world. -Gandhi
Iranians in the top tier, as well. I'd be curious as to which Mexican directors you'd rank highest.
Once we teach you that, you too will start speaking like a true intellectual.
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We must be the change we wish to see in the world. -Gandhi
I am sure there is something human about him... maybe he loves birds... maybe he goes to toilet... anything.
Humanize him, and 911 will recede in distant memory. Huge crowds celebrating it will recede... Iranian missiles falling on Israeli towns will recede... terrorists beheading their captives will become human. Just another, perhaps clumsy, but oh-soooo human gesture, you know!
Who cares about wide-spread support and approval of terrorism in those countries... watch their movie and all that will lose its poignancy.
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We must be the change we wish to see in the world. -Gandhi
.
I adore Cuaron, Del Toro and Inarritu, the "Three Amigos" (although Inarritu is really beginning to grate, the first two remain firm favorites), and there's no denying the surge of Mexican films from the 1990s forward, including films from directors like Arau, Navaro, Reygedas and others I'm not familiar with. There's a strong hispanic tide of excellence in filmmaking in the last 10 years all over the globe, especially if you throw in South American and Spanish cinema.But such a phenomenon is not limited to Mexico or hispania: many world cinemas are thriving, at least creatively speaking, and Iran's would certainly have to be included among that number by any serious cinephile.
I have to agree with Tin that Iranian cinema has been very strong in the last 20 years and can hold its own anywhere. In fact, so strong is recent Persian cinema that there is a legitimate "Iranian New Wave" (as Tin mentions) that is discussed, enjoyed and revered by critics and fans world wide. These directors are *famous*, although they aren't exactly popular in US multiplexes. These folks don't pale in comparison to anyone.
BTW, have you actually seen any of these filmmaker's works?One or two, none? You miss Persepolis?
Kiarostami is a great filmmaker by anyone's standards - A Taste Of Cherry and The Wind Will Carry Us alone guarantee that. His style (open ended and eliptical) may not be your cuppa but he is a master.
Majid helmed the Oscar nomminated feature Children Of Heaven, which is delightful by anyone's definition, and the very moving The Color Of Paradise, which also won a slew of awards. These are two of the best films about children made anywhere anytime. Color Of Paradise is stunning in its emotional intensity and understated beauty - it's the equal of Truffaut's 400 Blows or Erce's Spirit of The Beehive...it's that good.
Jafa Panahi is not only a superb filmmaker (e.g. The White Balloon, The Circle, Offside, which are all excellent), he walks the walk. The mullahs accused Panahi of making propaganda and inciting protests during the last, disputed presidential elelections. Arrested earlier in the year, Panahi was recently sentenced to six years in jail, along with a 20 year ban on making or directing any movies, writing screenplays, leaving the country or giving interviews to the media. His real crime was to support of the defeated opposing progressive candidate, Mirhossein Mousavi, in that last election.
Panahi went on a hunger strike earlier in the year in . It's no coincidence the regime came down hard on one of Iran's most celebrated filmmakers - no doubt they intend to make an example of him, along with filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, a colleague arrested at the same time and who received the same sentence. They intend to send a message to the nation's artists: if we can do this to a world famous director, imagine what we can do to you.
Filmmakers world wide have rallied to his cause, among them Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Ang Lee and Oliver Stone. Meanwhile Panahi has said he will not attempt to flee - he proudly proclaims he is an Iranian and he intends to stay in Iran and go to prison in protest against his oppressors. Panahi is not just a great director, he's an incredibly brave person and a cultural hero. So do him the favor of watching one of his movies.
In fact, I challenge you to watch any of several of the above mentioned films, along with Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, and then you can come back here tell me 'n Tin we're all wet and Iran's cinema does pale in comparison to Mexico's. If you still feel that way. I bet you won't.
Edits: 01/09/11
than deserving filmmakers in other cultures, who are just as talented? Near as I can figure that's all you're saying.
Yes, I reviewed Persepolis. I've viewed many other Iranian films that I frankly don't like as much as you do. I recognize the artistry of them, but the themes and cinematography are done better elsewhere.
It's no big deal and it's not about my political distaste for Iran. I don't like Israeli films and I love Israel--so don't read anything political into it.
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We must be the change we wish to see in the world. -Gandhi
your massive prejudice towards Iranian film (and culture and people).
Let's fact it, Jazz. You don't like Israeli film because it doesn't mimic the propaganda that you like to write about that state. The Israeli films I like most intelligently portray the nightmare they're living in and don't glorify either the war or the Israeli part of continuing it.
You're wrong about Israeli films. I could name more than a few very, very good ones besides "Bashir," but what's the point? Your mind is closed tighter than a mullah's.
...he is a "she".
Unless that was a typo. ;-)
...with your comment that Persian filmmakers "pale" as a group in comparison to any other group of filmmakers, Mexican or otherwise.You may prefer another school of movie making, but you do the Iranian directors a grave disservice by dismissing them so cavalierly.
My point was that these films by Iranian directors are outstanding movies on their own merits. Being oppressed doesn't make soone a good filmmaker. But sometimes, when every inch of film counts, and it is so difficult to create any work of art, oppression can be a catalyst to even greater expression - the passion becomes distilled - more intense, nothing wasted. I was pointing out the irony.
So what Iranian films have you seen besides the recent Perepolis HAVE you seen to be able to make such a blanket dismissal as you did above?
What is "many"?As I also said, I can understand matters of different taste and style preferences - Kiarostami is not a fast paced director - but I can't respect your position when you show that much disrespect for an acknowledged master.
Edits: 01/10/11
I saw Taste of Cherry. I really don't see what all the critical acclaim is about. It was good, but not that good.
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We must be the change we wish to see in the world. -Gandhi
...and that's OK. As I said, Kiarostami's is not a style that everyone can embrace. The narrative is elliptical, and the sotires are not based on "plot". You have to come to it at his pace. But the vast majority of film critics and scholars consider him one of the greatest living directors...so please don't dismiss because you don't like or don't get.
I would suggest, since you're wtiring about film, that some day some way you try a couple of the other films from different directors discussed above.
Please, just don't dismiss Iranian cinema, especially in reviews. There's a big difference between an oevre not being your cuppa and something just not being very good.
Pace
He is another of the Iranian new wave directors, his most recent work is 'No One Knows About Persian Cats' which explores the underground rock scene in Iran and how dangerous it is to be involved in same as a result of censorship.
Ghobadi has made quite a few films I'm fond of and he takes risks of blow back from the Iranian government with many of them...in some ways 'No One Knows About Persian Cats' is the story of many artists in today's Iran and IMO these films need a much wider viewing than they receive right now.
J.B.
though not always so: Iran is a positive example. I'm adding this to my list!
Perhaps we should set up concentration camps in all the countries so they could produce marginally good films?You need to leave your ivory tower. Iran is a despicable society where people have no rights, women get stoned and great portion of the population supports acts of terrorism against the civilians, where murder of children gets celebrated in the streets.
I can't understand how one can sit in his comfortable home, put on a DVD and make pseudo-intellectual comments, while knowing what goes on behind those borders. Perhaps he should simply believe what's happening is good for the unwashed locals.
Was a Nazi Germany another "positive" example? Cambodia must be closely behind. And of course the USSR has always been a shining example of positive, with people not knowing what's good for them. The "Reds" never seem to die, they just get jobs at Berkeley.
Such "intellectual" musings really make me extremely sad. It is bad enough that some in this country claimed the soviets and the Nazi were just like "us", it seems some people have never learned, and today call for humanization of one of the most oppressive and disgusting regimes.
I begin to wonder what exactly makes these "intellectuals" be like the mullahs. They are most certainly not like us.
Edits: 01/11/11
Iranian films are getting harder to see in theaters in Indy, although I've cuaght several at the Heartland and Indy Film Fests. Thankfully there's a foreign movie fan librarian at my local library. I've had this one on reserve for two months.
The key thing is..these are wonderful movies, worthy of attention no matter where they're from or who they're by. But because of the great risks taken by these filmmakers, and their conviction and perseverence, I feels it's worth the extra effort to seek them out - it's the least we can do.
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