Iran is one of those countries, thanks to decades of bad relations between our governments — and, let's be honest, a lot of uninformed rhetoric — about which there are innumerable misconceptions and stereotypes. Watching a film made in Iran by an Iranian, did you find yourself questioning any preconceived notions you had about the country and its culture. Did anything surprise you?
8 comments:
Some different parts stood out:
Unniversity students have openly defied Ahmadinejad and the restrictive mores he backs for years. And the younger men in the film (soldiers, fans) seemed largely sympathetic to the young women in their midst. But their response was more of a "this is the old way, what do you expect me to do?," which was sort of funny when it was the young women taking the risk. And then the soldiers dragging off the father badgering his girl in detention, shaming her into covering up. They recognized he was wrong to do that, but it was as though they hadn't quite formed their own moral code with which to treat modern Iranian women.
Of course, the characters also were in an urban setting, and presumably more liberal. The mindset in a rural area would have been different.
The young female soccer fans had a lot of guts, and whether they were an exception to the rule, I could not say. But it was poignant watching them cheer their team to victory just before they were taken away on the bus. What about the country was worth cheering for? Did you notice that soldier, back to camera, watching them the whole time, but we never saw his reaction?
The dress and hair and mannerisms were more Western than I expected, but they often are the case in urban settings we see from wire photos. One I remember was after 9-11, and there was a photo of a small boy wearing a T-shirt with a recognizable American logo -- Coca-Cola or something like that -- and he was whipping around a sparkler and celebrating. It's just the spread of commercialism, but it's interesting to see people who hate Western ideas pick up some of its trappings.
I was surprised at the tone of it, how sassy the young women were. Even though they had a lot to fear, it was like they trusted that the soldiers would be ultimately harmless.
I was surprised that the soldier characters did not really seem to believe in their mission but were just following orders. They definitely gave off the vibe that they didn't really agree with all this BS and were only going along with it for purposes of self-preservation. It wasn't a male duty or a religious duty; it was a duty imposed by a repressive government.
I wonder whether soccer is really smiled upon officially. It's so Western, like wearing a necktie and shaving beards. If it's one of those things that the people embrace so passionately that the government wouldn't dare dismiss it as decadently European.
I agree, the women were brave in front of the soldiers, and had to already have some moxie to try what they did, but in the same way the youths overlooked the lone girl on the bus -- do you think youths have less to fear from each other? That they're more enlightened, just toeing the line where elders are concerned?
Maybe it’s just because of my age, but I don’t know anything at all about Iran. I know that something important happened with them 25 or 30 years ago, but I have no idea what. And I know their president has been in the news and is known as a really bad dude.
And I’ve heard several people say that the U.S. will attack Iran in the next year.
"I know that something important happened with them 25 or 30 years ago, but I have no idea what."
You may be referring to the Islamic Revolution, when the Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran, once the great Persian empire, and turned the country into an Islamic state. This ushered in an era of Muslim fundamentalism throughout the Middle East and in much of the world. Some people say this was THE significant political and cultural event of the latter half of the 20th century, like the communist revolution was in the first half.
I don't mean to sound lecturey. Forgive me if I do. But you said "I don't know anything at all about Iran." And I really think it would increase your enjoyment of this film, and other films from the Middle East, if you read a little bit about it.
Films like this are being made today because of the Islamic Revolution, because of the repression and tragedy that it unleashed on large numbers of people around the world, not just women. Filmmakers like Panahi should be honored for taking on these issues in their movies, when they could sit back and make "safe" films that don't ruffle any feathers or endanger their own safety. I gave this film a "9" because I think it was not only an entertaining movie but, especially considering the conditions under which it was made, it was an incredible and inspirational act of courage by everyone involved.
I agree that the film had entertaining aspects and took courage to make and was important. But none of that negates the fact that it was a very weak film otherwise.
I am going to repost a comment by dw (and my apologies, Rick, if I'm misinterpreting it) that came up in "Change of Heart" under "The Lives of Others":
"Kc, does the viewer need to be cultured? Everybody is going to know about Beethoven and have heard some of his music. But Brecht? Is it important to know what sort of artist he was? Or does the film itself provide enough context?"
In that case, I didn't know anything about Brecht, but I felt I caught the context of his work from the film's portrayal. Still, I felt a sense of responsibility to revisit some ideas about the era the movie was set in to appreciate some of its ideas.
I think to watch kc's present choice, any of us as viewers can make a choice -- we may feel we know enough about the historical context to appreciate the film as is (or perhaps not appreciate it), or we can take the opportunity to brush up on the background for a deeper experience, or we can leave it to the film to make it relevant to us, perhaps even say that's the director's job.
We all may feel differently about that issue -- but I think it's important in the context of consistently appreciating and ranking a film.
Excellent points, cl. I think knowing at least the basics about Iranian history, (which is all I know), makes a big difference in the viewing of the film.
I also was surprised about the soldiers' attitudes. But with mandatory army service, it's not surprising, I guess, that many of them would be simply following orders and lying low until their time was served, not necessarily buying into any of it.
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