A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night [دختری در شب تنها به خانه می‌رود] (2014)

Directed by Ana Lily Amirpour

DoP.: Lyle Vincent

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) / دختری در شب تنها به خانه می‌رود , dir. Ana Lily Amirpour.

Marmoulak

For this culture blog I watched the Iranian movie Marmoulak (مارمولک), a comedy about an escaped prisoner who disguises himself as a religious cleric and becomes embroiled in the affairs of a small village while trying to flee Iran. 

Despite Marmoulak being a comedy, it actually taught me quite a bit about Iranian culture, language, and society. I learned that there are very specific regional and cultural stereotypes in Iran, especially between urban and rural areas. I saw how Islamic practices are integrated into the everyday life of Iranians. I learned about many common colloquialisms used in everyday spoken Farsi. I also learned how Iranian clergy speak in a very distinct, formal, intellectual manner— a practice that the film lampoons by having the main character say crass things in a clerical tone. 

Marmoulak definitely differed from many American comedies I have seen in that most of its jokes play largely off of unique aspects of Iranian society and Islamic culture that might be lost on non-Iranian viewers. In fact, I am sure I missed a lot of jokes in the movie based on my incomplete knowledge of these, as well as verbal nuances lost in translation of the subtitles. Still, Marmoulak does share similarities with American comedies in the way it satirizes certain facets common to many cultures, such as the urban-rural divide and religious mannerism. This film certainly challenged preconceptions I had of Iran. Although it was banned in Iran after its production, Marmoulak showed me how freedom of thought in Iran still exists and is not entirely stifled by legal restrictions, as I thought it might be. Overall, what I enjoyed most was how the movie conveyed a very touching message about redemption while staying consistently funny from beginning to end. 

دانیال

this film is short sweet unbelievably good. i cried at the end. luv wholeheartedly ❤️❤️❤️

Mohsen Makhmalba: Pretense and me

Français : Mohsen Makhmalbaf, réalisateur iranien. Photo prise pendant le festival international des cinémas d’Asie à Vesoul, février 2009. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) “I wanted to be left alone to live my life, so it was very easy for people to pretend that they were me. ” —Mohsen Makhmalbaf.

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Watching

INVASION Sharam Mokri Iran, 2017

Abbas Kiarostami’s “Taste of Cherry” ( …طعم گيلاس ) May 16, 1997.

Images of Jerry Habibi, Persian and Iranian-American Actor who portrays Abbas in Sony’s ‘The Persian Version’.

At Five in the Afternoon , Samira Makhmalbaf , 2003.

WOMEN OF ALLAH: "IDENTIFIED" SHIRIN NESHAT // 1995 [ink on gelatin silver print | 13 1⁄8 x 8 5⁄8"]

Some 2023 Films by SWANA Filmmakers

The Persian Version. Dir. Maryam Keshavarz (Iranian) Totally Killer. Dir. Nahnatchka Khan (Iranian) Bye Bye Tiberias. Dir. Lina Soualem (Palestinian) The Burderned. Dir. Amr Gamal (Yemeni) The Mother Of All Lies. Dir. Asmae El Moudir (Moroccan) Leave The World Behind. Dir. Sam Esmail (Egyptian) Amerikatsi. Dir. Michael A. Goorjian (Armenian) Fremont. Dir. Babak Jalali (Iranian/Afghan) Four Daughters. Dir. Kaouther Ben Hania (Tunisian) Last Call For Istanbul. Dir. Gönenç Uyanık (Turkish)

Leila (1997)

directed by Dariush Mehrjui cinematography by Mahmoud Kalari

ABOUT ELLY | درباره الی (dir. Asghar Farhadi, 2009)

Iran-e Man (2023), Naghmeh Pour

جاده خاکی [Hit the Road] (Panah Panahi, 2021)