Persian Studies

"Behnaz Jafari is a young, aspiring actress in Tehran who wants to live a carefree and creative lifestyle. This lifestyle is not easy to obtain for a modern 24 year-old woman who lives in contemporary Iranian society"

On the southern Iranian island of Qeshm in the Persian Gulf, women wear a headscarf and a "burka," a pinching mask of black bands that presses against the eyebrows and nose ending in a point just above the mouth. The interviewed women do not remove this outward sign of oppression, but against the strict religious rules, they talk openly into the camera about their lives.

"Caught between two worlds examines the complexities and challenges faced by a population estimated at between 600,000 to 1,000,000 Iranians who now make the USA their home. By weaving together excerpts from the lives of people living in several large US cities, the film explores the diversity of Iranian-Americans who make up a virtual nation in exile"

"Charand-parand (Nonsense and nonsuch) first published in 1907-1908 as a series of brief satirical essays in an Iranian newspaper, has been hailed as unprecedented in the history of satire in Persian literature. In this set of DVD and CD, Professor Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak discusses this popular work, imaginatively conceptualized and eloquently expressed."--Container

Iran is producing some exciting films today. However, one of its industry’s most fascinating contradictions is that contrary to the post-revolution status of women in Iran the number of women filmmakers who produce exceptional works is constantly increasing.
Filmed 4-10th of May 2001 in London Barbican. In this event a selection of films from women directors in Iran were screened. It was then followed by a one-day conference about Iranian women filmmakers at SOAS University in London. Directors such as Rakhshan Bani Etemad, Tahmineh Milani, Samira Makhmalbaf, Shirin Neshat, and actresses such as Niki Karimi and Fatemeh Motamed Aria are presented.

"Nearly three quarters of the Iranian population is under the age of 30, and many are bursting with dissatisfaction. Evan Solomon goes inside Iran to explore an underground world where young people are rebelling in very typically Western ways -- punk bands, rap music, drugs, speed racing, defying gender roles -- but face much bigger consequences breaking rules under an authoritarian government. Theirs is not a political rebellion; it’s a social revolution, one that’s young, dangerous and hidden."--Distributor’s website.

Tells the story of a group of young runaway girls who are taken to a women’s shelter in Tehran, Iran. The film focuses on the sufferings of young girls who struggle to free themselves from the tyrannical and abusive power of their families, mainly their fathers, brothers, and stepfathers.

"Presents the culture of death in Iran, depicting how close death and life, laughter and tears, or sadness and happiness can be. The cemetery is a rendezvous, a picnic place, a play ground and a training place for the soldiers."

Images from the Qajar Dynasty: "A short documentary made while the filmmaker was preparing his acclaimed feature Once upon a Time, Cinema. The Qajar (aka Ghajar) family ruled Iran from 1785-1925. The film shows rare photos and early films shot at the Shah’s court, along with family portraits."

Exploring a clash between sacred customs and contemporary athletic aspirations, this program follows an Iranian women’s soccer team daring to push traditional limits and pursue victories both on and off the field.