Iranian filmmakers in resistance
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, generations of filmmakers in Iran have explored their country through their works – sometimes with a daring, critical eye that has forced them into exile.
They are in the tradition of poet and film director Forugh Farrokhzad, who in his 1962 documentary short film “The House is Black” showed how social criticism can be both poetic and effective in dealing with the treatment of people suffering from leprosy.
Pegah Ahangarani was essentially born into the Iranian film industry. The 38-year-old’s mother is director and producer Manijeh Hekmat, and her father is also a producer. Although Ahangarani is best known as an award-winning actress, for the last 15 years she has devoted herself to making documentaries.
working through trauma
Ahangarani has been living in exile since 2021 and does not know when she will be able to return to Iran. His latest documentary short film, 2021’s “I Am Trying to Remember”, deals with the story of his own family and his country during mass murders of political prisoners after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iranian.
The essay short film, currently on display by the new yorker magazine, is told in a highly personal way and includes images of people drawn from family photo albums and other powerful visual messages. In the film, she uses powerful imagery to show how the memory of those who rebelled and then disappeared was erased – and how families like hers overcame the pain of such disappearances. These traumas cross generations in Iran.
‘It’s enough’
Her generation tried to cooperate with the authorities but failed, says Ahangarani. She admires young people who are now not afraid to take off their scarves, cut their hair and protest in the streets, despite the risk of death.
“My generation, which today is between 35 and 40 years old, grew up in the Rohani era, a time of reform. We believed that this type of reform would help us, but it was not true. that’s enough… We want something different.’ They are resisting and they go to the streets and they are killed, but they come back to the streets. They inspire us to say, okay, maybe that’s enough now.”
Ahangarani was also inspired by legendary Iranian filmmaker Rakhshan Banietemad, with whom he has worked.
Banietemad belongs to the revolutionary generation and is one of the most important directors in the country. She interviewed young Iranians for her 2002 documentary “Our Times”, about women’s political involvement in the 2001 Iranian presidential election.
Banietemad’s fame is not only due to its international success, but also to its choice of themes. She often focuses on underprivileged characters showing their strength.
Like other female film pioneers in Iran such as Tamineh Milani and Niki Karimi, as well as Manijeh Hekmat, mother of Pegah Ahangarani, Rakhshan Banietemad has made social inequality, especially as it relates to women in Iran, the focus of her films.
A return to a brutal past
Iranian filmmakers fight censorship throughout the entire filmmaking process, whether it’s getting script approval or getting the film shown in theaters.
Pegah Ahangarani was questioned numerous times by authorities and even served a month in prison in 2009. “Years after that experience, I am really damaged. I’ve had so many interrogations I can’t even count them. More than 40. And every time they interrogated me, I was I was caught calling from an unknown number. To this day, I still get shocked when I see an unknown number calling my phone,” Ahangarani told DW.
It’s no wonder that many of the country’s female filmmakers live in exile. However, that didn’t stop them from raising their voices in protest. Filmmaker Shirin Neshat, who lives in New York City, and director and writer Sepideh Farsi are two examples.
It’s not just about the death of Jina Mahsa Amini, Neshat said in a 2022 interview with Deutsche Welle: “It’s the culmination of all the frustration of women who have been forced to wear the headscarf for 43 years. hijab, because that’s just a symbol. There are many educated women and they realize that they don’t have the same human rights as men. Even more so now that this government has even murdered a young woman just because she showed a little hair.”
Source: DW
Ashley Bailey is a talented author and journalist known for her writing on trending topics. Currently working at 247 news reel, she brings readers fresh perspectives on current issues. With her well-researched and thought-provoking articles, she captures the zeitgeist and stays ahead of the latest trends. Ashley’s writing is a must-read for anyone interested in staying up-to-date with the latest developments.