Los Angeles hosts annual showcase featuring extensive array of work from contemporary and veteran film-makers
The annual celebration of Iranian cinema run by the University of California, Los Angeles, is a vital occasion for two dynamic and overlapping constituencies: cinephiles and Iranians in Los Angeles. The festival's screenings routinely draw large audiences, eager to see films from a nation distinguished by its rich and sustained contribution to world cinema. This year's programme underscored the depth and diversity of cinematic voices in Iranian life.
In recent years, the archive has expanded the scope to include older films, working with Iran's national film archive and exiled filmmakers such as Parviz Sayyad to present seminal works such as The Lor Girl (Dokhtar-e Lor; 1933), directed by Ardeshir Irani; Masoud Kimiai's Caesar (Qaisar; 1969); and Sayyad's own Dead End (Bon Bast; 1977). This year, the festival began with a screening of Bahram Beyzaie's first feature film,...
The annual celebration of Iranian cinema run by the University of California, Los Angeles, is a vital occasion for two dynamic and overlapping constituencies: cinephiles and Iranians in Los Angeles. The festival's screenings routinely draw large audiences, eager to see films from a nation distinguished by its rich and sustained contribution to world cinema. This year's programme underscored the depth and diversity of cinematic voices in Iranian life.
In recent years, the archive has expanded the scope to include older films, working with Iran's national film archive and exiled filmmakers such as Parviz Sayyad to present seminal works such as The Lor Girl (Dokhtar-e Lor; 1933), directed by Ardeshir Irani; Masoud Kimiai's Caesar (Qaisar; 1969); and Sayyad's own Dead End (Bon Bast; 1977). This year, the festival began with a screening of Bahram Beyzaie's first feature film,...
- 7/31/2013
- The Guardian - Film News
A dramatic film about transgender issues in Iran seems unlikely. A positively sympathetic Iranian film about a young woman desperately trying to secure gender reassignment seems impossible. And yet here is Facing Mirrors, made in Iran by a first-time feature director, Negar Azarbayjani, dealing with that very subject in a sensitive way almost unthinkable in an American film. The Austin Film Society is co-presenting a screening of Facing Mirrors as part of aGLIFF Polari on Thursday at 6:45 pm at Alamo Drafthouse Ritz.
Thanks to the 25th annual fest, we are reminded that global cinema presents a rich array of people so very different from the two-dimensional stereotypes shoved into our brains by "the news" or TV programs and movies. For at least 25 years, wonderful films have been coming from Iran, visually rich, humanistic, and profound, despite the socio-historical absurdities spouted by some of the leaders of that complex, ancient land.
Thanks to the 25th annual fest, we are reminded that global cinema presents a rich array of people so very different from the two-dimensional stereotypes shoved into our brains by "the news" or TV programs and movies. For at least 25 years, wonderful films have been coming from Iran, visually rich, humanistic, and profound, despite the socio-historical absurdities spouted by some of the leaders of that complex, ancient land.
- 10/3/2012
- by Chale Nafus
- Slackerwood
Glenn here winding down with the Melbourne Film Festival coverage. For whatever reason, Miff’s selection of queer films is never particularly large. I wasn’t able to attend the AIDS documentary How to Survive a Plague, although I’ve heard it’s a powerful experience, but I did get along to Ira Sachs’ Keep the Lights On that follows a nine-year relationship between a Danish documentary filmmaker (Thure Lindhardt, Into the Wild) and a lawyer (Zachary Booth, Damages, Dark Horse) in New York City. I know Nathaniel’s not a fan (and I can certainly see why as there are problematic areas), but it’s rare for a “gay film” to find a positive foothold in the critical community so that made it a veritable must see.
There’s a moment when Lindhardt’s Erik passes a graffiti sign that reads “Fake Your Beauty”, which is actually a good...
There’s a moment when Lindhardt’s Erik passes a graffiti sign that reads “Fake Your Beauty”, which is actually a good...
- 8/22/2012
- by Glenn Dunks
- FilmExperience
Thom Fitzgerald’s "Cloudburst" and Katherine Fairfax Wright and Malika Zouhali-Worrall's "Call Me Kuchu" topped the winners of the audience awards at Frameline36 the San Francisco International Lgbt Film Festival, which came to a close this Sunday. The Festival drew together an audience of 57,000 over 11 days of screenings, culminating with a screening of the forementioned "Cloudburst," which stars Olympia Dukakis and Brenda Fricker as aging New England lesbians that go on a road trip to Canada to get married. Other major honors at the fest included the juried First Feature Award, which went to Negar Azarbayjani’s "Facing Mirrors," the first Iranian narrative film with a transgender protagonist. Honorable mention went to director Sally El Hosaini's story of two Egyptian brothers living in inner London, "My Brother The Devil." Taking home the Outstanding Documentary Feature Award was Yariv...
- 6/27/2012
- by Peter Knegt
- Indiewire
Facing Mirrors
Directed by Negar Azarbayjani
Written by Negar Azarbayjani and Fereshteh Taerpoor
Iran, 2011
For time immemorial, Iran has been synonymous for many things – most of them pejorative, none of which has to do with cinema. However, Iran’s cinematic reputation has reached a prestige that was hitherto unprecedented in 2011, with films like Circumstance winning the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival and A Separation winning the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars. Negar Azarbayjani’s Facing Mirrors, which tells the story of a gender-transitioning woman in Tehran, further cements 2011 as Iran’s golden age of cinema by creating a film of visceral and emotionally stirring gravitas.
The film is about two people; each with their individual stories. Firstly we have Adineh (Shayesteh Irani), a transgendered man living with his despotic father and his acquiescent brother. Adineh (whom prefers being called Eddie) is desperate to go to Germany...
Directed by Negar Azarbayjani
Written by Negar Azarbayjani and Fereshteh Taerpoor
Iran, 2011
For time immemorial, Iran has been synonymous for many things – most of them pejorative, none of which has to do with cinema. However, Iran’s cinematic reputation has reached a prestige that was hitherto unprecedented in 2011, with films like Circumstance winning the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival and A Separation winning the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars. Negar Azarbayjani’s Facing Mirrors, which tells the story of a gender-transitioning woman in Tehran, further cements 2011 as Iran’s golden age of cinema by creating a film of visceral and emotionally stirring gravitas.
The film is about two people; each with their individual stories. Firstly we have Adineh (Shayesteh Irani), a transgendered man living with his despotic father and his acquiescent brother. Adineh (whom prefers being called Eddie) is desperate to go to Germany...
- 5/24/2012
- by Justin Li
- SoundOnSight
Tony Gittens, founder and director of Filmfest DC, pushed laughter and lightness throughout Washington, D.C.’s 26th annual international film festival. But when the big prize came out, it went to a far more somber affair. A five-member jury at Filmfest DC (which ran April 12-22) selected Negar Azarbayjani’s Iranian drama "Facing Mirrors" to receive the Circle Award Sunday night. The award, given to a film the jury believes is “deserving of increased recognition,” comes with a $10,000 cash prize and a chance for a distribution deal with Indiewire parent company SnagFilms. “Facing Mirrors,” which follows a pre-op female-to-male transsexual in Tehran as she recruits a female taxi driver to help escape an arranged marriage, beat out five competitors for the award, two of which were comedies. Producer and co-writer Fereshteh Taerpour drove in from New Jersey to accept the award at the closing-night ceremony, held at the Embassy of.
- 4/23/2012
- by Andrew Lapin
- Indiewire
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