Films in Review


There are many Iranian filmmakers in the US and abroad who wish to have their films seen and their voices heard. In efforts to get a better understanding of who is the Iranian filmmaker I asked Saeed Shafa of the Iranian Film Festival and the Tiburon International Film Festival. He stated, “There are two groups of Iranian filmmakers. Those who make their films in Iran and those who make them outside Iran. They are both Iranians, but their films and way of thinking are different. Most of those making films outside Iran are born in various countries and are not familiar with the culture inside Iran. Therefore, their films have a different look and angle. And those who make their films in Iran are divided into 2 groups too. First group who makes films for the local market, inside the country and for the people of Iran. The second group who make their films for a foreign audience, outside Iran, mainly for the western audiences.”

PERSEPOLIS, By Franco Frassetti • March 18, 2009.