Cinema in Iran - New Iranian Directors
Mariam Noronha
Iranian films have for a long time now won international acclaim at International Film Festivals held across the globe.
Masterful script writing, brilliant performances and socio-political messages have been the hallmark of works produced and directed by Iranians.
In recent times however, Iranian cinema has witnessed the rise of a new generation of filmmakers who are making films which may never be screened in Iran.
Here is a look at some of these filmmakers and their genre of cinema.
Shirin Neshat
Based in New York, Shirin Neshat is a rebel in her own way. Her directorial debut The Cow Women without Men won the coveted Silver Award at the Venice Film Festival in 2009. The film, inspired by a novel by Shahrmush Parsipur, is set against the political coup of 1953. Openly critical of the political regime of her homeland, the film is unlikely to be screened in Iran. Shirin however is defiant in her approach and prompted by a huge fan following is determined to work harder on her upcoming projects.
Samira Makhmalbaf and Hana Makhmalbaf
Daughters of Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Samira and Hana are carrying on their father's legacy and are in fact looking all set to take the Makhmalbaf Film House to greater heights.
Samira Makhmalbaf directed her debut film at the age of 17 and a year later went on to become the youngest director in the world to participate in the official section of the Cannes Film Festival. Winning the Jury Prize at Cannes for her second feature film, Blackboards in 2000 made Samira the youngest film director to win such an award. Her next venture At Five in the Afternoon was set in a post-Taliban Afghanistan and won the Jury Prize at Cannes. The film also bagged the Golden Peacock for Best Film at the International Film Festival of India in New Delhi. The Apple and Two-Legged Horse also directed by Samira revolve around thought provoking facets of life such as relationships, violence and strife.
Hana Makhmalbaf's film Green Days was screened at the Venice Film Festival in 2009. The film sparked off a political debate as it depicted the story of a young Iranian woman caught in a political storm after President Ahmedinejad's controversial re-election in June 2009. Both sisters seemed to have mastered the art of using cinema as a mirror of society. Their penchant for storytelling and realism is reflected in their works.
Seyed Reza Mirkarimi
Inspired by Akira Kurosawa's film, Seven Samurai, Seyed Reza attributes the popularity of Iranian cinema to its ability to address strong humanitarian and ethical issues. The young director who is of the opinion that most films today are fictional and the strength of Iranian cinema lies in its depiction of harsh realities of life. Seyed Reza feels that the restrictions imposed on Iranian filmmakers have only helped them emerge stronger, better and more dedicated to their craft. His best works include So Far, So Close and Under The Moonlight.
Many believe that Iranian films were influenced by Italian and French cinema but there are others like Rose Issa who begs to differ. In her article, 'Real Fictions' she says that Iranian films have a distinctly Iranian language.
The poetic depiction of everyday life in a documentary form is the hallmark of New Wave Iranian cinema.
