| IRAN |
| ABJAD |
Abolfazl Jalili |
Set in Isfahan (near Tehran) on the eve of
the tumultuous 1979 Islamic revolution, Jalili’s partly
autobiographical film recounts first love, religious conflict
and the search for personal identity as it reflects the climate
of fear and repression that persists in Iran today. Teenage
Emkan has a deep and soul-gripping love for artistic expression—painting,
photography, design—something that doesn’t sit
well with his devout Muslim parents and teachers who both
feel that this passion is at odds with the tenets of their
faith. When his feelings for Maassoum, a Jewish girl recently
moved to the neighborhood (and daughter of the local movie
theatre’s owner for whom he designs posters), blossom
into love, Emkan is torn between his parents’ wishes,
the strictures of the educational system and changing political
climate, his love for her, and his own independent spirit.
Out of this story and the perfectly nuanced performances of
its two young actors, Jalili has crafted a moving cultural
critique infused with subtlety and tender humor. (111 mins.)
Print courtesy of Menemsha Entertainment.
Filmography: Det Means Girl (94), True Story (96),
Dance of Dust (98), Delbaran (01).
SHOWTIMES: 2/14, 4:45pm and
2/17, 7pm B1. |
|
| DEEP BREATH |
Parviz
Shahbazi |
This wry, whimsical character study may be
the first urban slacker film from Iran. Kamran, a listless
college student, and Mansour, a petty thief, are from opposite
ends of the social spectrum. Both are equally bored with their
constricted lives, which seem to consist mainly of aimless
driving around in stolen cars, melancholy reflection and the
occasional bout of crime. When the boys pick up a vivacious
young hitchhiker (Maryam Palyzban), her dynamic presence begins
to rouse them from their terminal ennui. Punctuated with beautiful
imagery and comic moments, Shahbazi paints a sympathetic yet
unsparing picture of disaffected Iranian youth. Print courtesy
of Behnegar. (86 mins.)
Selected Filmography: The Traveler From the South (96),
The Whisper (00).
SHOWTIMES: 2/23, 8:30pm, 2/25,
8:30pm, and 2/28, 2pm, B1. |
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