Expanding Film Ties in The Middle East
Iranian American Director/Producer Kayvan Mashayekh noticed at The First Middle East International Film Festival in Abu Dhabi -Darius KADIVAR - 5/14/08
Carrière's Master Class In Tehran
Movie Critic Icon and Screen Writer Jean Claude Carrière Lectures at Iran's House of Cinema -Darius KADIVAR - 5/13/08
IRAN MAN!
Tony Stark's Blockbuster Heart Pumps Fresh Iranian Blood into Hollywood's Dream Factory -Darius KADIVAR - 5/12/08
Nine Iranians in Asia-Pacific film festival academy
Nine nominees from Iran's cinema industry in Asia-Pacific festival awards of 2007 have been selected for the membership of the festival's academy. -ISNA - 5/12/08
Bam 6.6 sweeps the awards at Noor Film Festival 2008
Payvand.com - The 2nd Annual Noor Film Festival was held from April 6 to April 13, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. This year's theme was on Women with emphasis on documentary films from Iranian filmmakers around the world. - 5/8/08
New move is needed to develop Iranian spiritual cinema: Milani
Celebrated Iranian filmmaker Tahmineh Milani said that Iranian cinema requires a new move to improve its spiritual film genre. Milani has been labeled as the feminist filmmaker of Iranian cinema due to her women-centered films. -MNA - 5/8/08
Satrapi Joins Jury of Cannes 2008
Director of Jury Prize 2007 animated film Persepolis joins Sean Penn's Jury list -Darius KADIVAR - 5/7/08
Haale's sound stretches from New York to Iran
Call her Persian. Call her a New Yorker. Call her a rocker. Call her a poet. Even call her a mystic, if you must. But please, don't call Haale exotic. -Boston Globe - 5/7/08
Producers hope to help kids deal with social diversity
"This business is something we believe can help change the world," said Shabnam Rezaei, who launched it with her husband, Aly Jetha. The pair, who have just moved here from New York City, come from as diverse backgrounds as their characters. -Vancouver Sun - 5/6/08
Amin wins DJ Palme 2008 title
Dubai-born Iranian Amin Golestan, 23, beat stiff competition from first runner-up Jordanian Ibrahim Saleh, 35, to walk away with the DJ Palme 2008 award and a whole lot of goodies. -XPress, UAE - 5/2/08
MOON RIVER: Breakfast Talk with British-Iranian Model Sophia (Sepideh) Nooshin
Born in London of Persian heritage, Sophia's unique look distinguishes her from other models. Often compared to the gamine beauty Audrey Hepburn, Sophia started performing from a very early age when her mother took her to her first ballet class at the age of three. She went on to train at the prestigious Ballet Rambert School and graduated from the Roehampton Institute of Higher Education with a bachelor degree in Dance. -Darius KADIVAR - 5/1/08
An Iranian's vision of Jesus' life stirs debate
Jesus sat and peeled an orange as his companion, Nader Talebzadeh, began to speak, precisely, so as not to be misunderstood on a matter so sensitive. The Iranian director's new film is based on the Islamic version of the life of Jesus, depicting the man Christians believe to be the messiah and son of God as a tormented Judean prophet foretelling the coming of Muhammad, the founder of the Muslim faith. -LA Times - 4/30/08
Iran International Documentary Film Festival
Documentary & Experimental Film Center (DEFC) organizes Cinema Vérité, Iran International Documentary Film Festival, in Tehran- Iran. The festival tries to express the relationship between reality and truth through documentary films. - 4/30/08
Head Wind: Baad-e-daboor (Documentary -- Iran)
An Iranian paradox: Officially, many things are not permitted, yet with Persian ingenuity, almost everything is possible. Wry docu "Head Wind," by acclaimed helmer Mohammad Rasoulof, provides a candid insider's look at how his authoritarian government aims to control the flow of information into the country and how his compatriots, thirsty for knowledge and freedom of expression, slyly attempt to bend the rules. -Variety - 4/30/08
Iran's "Late for Freedom" awarded at Hot Docs
The Iranian documentary "It Is Always Late for Freedom" directed by Mehrdad Oskuii won the award for the best mid-length documentary (30-59 minutes) at the Canadian international documentary festival Hot Docs - 4/26/08
Films at UCLA: Caught Between Two Worlds & Voices
Documentary screenings of "Caught Between Two Worlds" and "Voices" and panel discussion with Persheng Sadegh-Vaziri and Simin Farkhondeh, filmmakers - 4/25/08
German and Iranian schoolchildren bring "Snow White" to Isfahan
A play based on the Brothers Grimm classic fairy tale "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was staged by a group of German and Iranian schoolchildren at Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan on April 22. -Tehran Times - 4/24/08
What will British audiences make of a great Iranian auteur?
She's foreign, she's a woman and she's still alive. Can a Rakhshan Bani-Etemad season at the BFI draw the crowds? -Guardian - 4/24/08
Chris de Burgh to visit Iran in May
Renowned Irish singer, Chris de Burgh, says he will visit Iran to decide whether to hold concerts with the country's Arian pop music group. -Press TV - 4/23/08
Iranian director Gharibpour invited to perform puppet opera in Italy and UAE
An Iranian veteran director Behrouz Gharibpour is invited to perform his puppet opera "Macbeth" in Italy and the UAE. - 4/20/08
Violin virtuoso Baharlu honored in Tehran ceremony
Violinist Mohammad Baharlu (1928-2005) was honored during a ceremony at Tehran's Niavaran Cultural Center on Friday. His life and works were reviewed during the event, which was organized by his daughters. - 4/19/08
Iran standoff hits Canada film festival
The "Spotlight on Iran" sidebar at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, which opens Thursday, is in jeopardy because of problems arranging travel documents for Iranian filmmakers. -Hollywood Reporter - 4/18/08
LE CHARME PERSAN...
Charmed by Iranians during her Persian stay, French Star Juliette Binoche Compares them to Italians -Darius KADIVAR - 4/17/08
"Mystic Iran" Wins at L.A. Film Festival
"Mystic Iran the Unseen World" won the Audience Award at the 2008 Noor Film Festival on Sunday, April 13th, in Beverly Hills, California. - 4/16/08
Iran's Rudaki Orchestra to perform in Paris in May
Iran's Rudaki Orchestra, which is conducted by Arash Amini, is to give performances in Paris on May 7 and 8. -MNA - 4/12/08
Iranian, Norwegian musicians team up for Madrid concert
Cosponsored by the Persepolis Cultural Center in Madrid and Riksscenen, Norwegian hub for traditional music and dance, the program is being held to commemorate Persian mystic and classical poet Molana Jalal ad-Din Rumi. -MNA - 4/11/08
Introducing the directors from behind the veil
Movies made by women from the Middle East have have often pushed at cultural boundaries, and two new releases continue that tradition. Kaleem Aftab examines the history of cinema in a male-dominated society, and sees the latest examples -Independent - 4/11/08
Frankly, Darius Danesh does give a damn
Darius Danesh is like a cat with nine lives. In 2000, appearing on the first ever ITV Popstars talent show, before even Simon Cowell was involved, the Scottish university student became notorious for his self-belief, pony tail and histrionic rendition of Hit Me Baby One More Time. -Telegraph, UK - 4/11/08
Feeling young again with 127 at Berkeley
On the afternoon of Sunday March 31, the four of us headed to Berkeley. Destination was Blake's, where Tehran's 127 band was going to play that night. I had met Sohrab, the leader of the band, in 2002 in Tehran when I went to their house to meet his mother Roya Monajem, a very fascinating woman who has written many heavy duty articles which I'm still struggling to understand -Ali Moayedian - 4/10/08
As the administration threatens Iran with war, listen to the voices of Iranian-Americans
The spring season of CinemaEast concludes April 16th with the screening of Caught in Between Two Worlds and Voices. Come and meet directors Persheng Sadegh-Vaziri and Simin Farkhondeh, who will be talking about the experiences of being Iranian-American and the making of their films. - 4/10/08
Rumi-nation to take place at Henry Fonda Theater
A new Rumi-nation program, is taking place on Thursday April 17th. This exciting and unique program takes place at the groovy Henry Fonda Theater (Music Box) - 4/10/08
Film: Iran/America, A World Between
The film, directed by Nezam Manouchehri, premiered last summer on LinkTV and has been very well received by wide audiences across the country. Iranians living abroad find it to be a nostalgic and positive look at our culture, without being overly political, while Americans unfamiliar with Iran are consistently surprised by the warm sentiments by everyday Iranians about the people and culture of the United States. - 4/9/08
Kiarostami presenting Persian Tazieh at Edinburgh Festival
Distinguished film master Abbas Kiarostami is making his long-awaited debut at this year's Edinburgh International Festival, when he is due to present the ancient Persian theatrical tradition of Tazieh. -IRNA - 4/9/08
8th Annual Celebration of Iranian Cinema at UCLA: Program Update
A new free event with several directors in person has been added on April 12. Plus, additional info for the April 18 "short" program is now available. - 4/8/08
Filmmaker offers $34,000 for job info
An Iranian-born filmmaker living in Sweden has offered $34,000 to anyone who can help him land any permanent job in the media profession. -UPI - 4/8/08
STONING BUSH!
Oliver Stone to make President Bush film "W." starring Josh Brolin in the Title Role -Darius KADIVAR - 3/30/08
Rakhshan Bani-Etemad Film Season April 2008 - London
Rakhshan Bani-Etemad is not simply one of Iran's leading film directors but one, according to Sheila Whitaker, deserving of a place in any history of international cinema. Yet, outside of festivals, she has largely been ignored in the UK. Here's the opportunity to find out just how much we've been missing. - 3/25/08
Shusha Guppy: 1935-2008
Shusha Guppy, who has died aged 72, was one of the most talented women of her generation - a writer, singer and composer of songs, who moved freely among intellectual elites and made a home for herself in three radically different cultures. -Guardian - 3/24/08
Chris de Burgh 'will perform in Iran'
Celebrated Irish musician and singer Chris De Burgh says media misinformation will not change his opinion about performing in Iran. -Press TV - 3/22/08
ADIEU ZARATHUSTRA!
Visionary science fiction writer Sir Arthur C Clarke dies at Age 90 -Darius KADIVAR - 3/21/08
Iran: Magazines Shut Down Over 'Immoral' Coverage Of Hollywood Celebs
Iranian authorities have closed down nine, mostly lifestyle, magazines this week for publishing photos of "immoral" Western celebrities and reporting about their private lives. -Thirteen other publications were warned to avoid printing similar photos and stories -- or face losing their publishing licenses. -RFE - 3/20/08
Persian Enigma
Pre-Production on «Prince of Persia: Sands of Time» Takes Off in Morocco as Casting Remains Unknown -Darius KADIVAR - 3/19/08
East Bay Symphony celebrates Persian New Year
Michael Morgan and the Oakland East Bay Symphony threw an early New Year's party at the Paramount Theatre Friday night. It featured plenty of music and was blessedly free of the maudlin strains of "Auld Lang Syne." That's because the occasion was Persian New Year, which is actually due on Wednesday. -SFGate - 3/18/08
NOOR Lights your way to Hollywood!
Iranian American Producer Siamak Ghahremani has filled in this necessary gap by founding the Noor Film Festival (NFF) which will be holding its 2nd annual this coming April in Hollywood. A glittering event and much welcomed initiative that acknowledges contemporary film and acting achievements while paving the way for future aspiring talents. -Darius KADIVAR - 3/17/08
Iranian cinema's happy and sad events of the year
The establishment of The Iranian Box Office Film Club, the bootlegging of on-screen movies, the 26th Fajr Film Festival and the winning of the Best Actor Silver Bear at Berlinale are just a few of the rises and falls in fortune that Iranian cinema has witnessed over the past year. -MNA - 3/17/08
Tehran's 127 band on U.S. tour
Tehran band 127 is on a U.S. tour performing 24 concerts from March 4 to April 2, 2008. Founded in 2001 by a group of young Tehran artists and art students, 127 has found itself at the center of progressive cultural change in Iran. - 3/16/08
Kiarostami increases value of "Karat 14"
Any project in which world celebrated Iranian auteur Abbas Kiarostami takes part is expected to be of consequence -- and Kiarostami has produced the last sequence of Parviz Shahbazi's latest film "Karat 14". -MNA - 3/16/08
Mohsen Namjoo - A man who has redefined Iranian Music and taken it to the 21st century
There are times in one's life when we think that nothing new will happen, at least in some ways. So it was an absolutely wonderful and delightful pleasure when I recently came to love, appreciate and feel a young artist. In my opinion, he is the most important thing that has happened to the Iranian music scene in a very long time. -Syma Sayyah, Tehran - 3/14/08
Iranian American Youth of Pleasanton Celebrate Persian New Year
IAYP 's main objective is to provide a social environment free of politics and religion for Persian youth, adults, their families and friends to gather, promote and celebrate the rich Persian heritage in Pleasanton and Tri-Valley community. - 3/14/08
18th Annual Celebration of Iranian Cinema at UCLA: March 14-April 20
UCLA Film & Television Archive and the Bijan and Soraya Amin Foundation present: 2008 marks the Archive's 18th annual Celebration of Iranian Cinema, and our program this year is as eclectic and diverse as ever. This year's offerings include seven new features from Iran and the Diaspora, as well as compelling new documentary and short works on film and video. - 3/13/08
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