Exclusive Interview: Vahid Mousaian

In an exclusive interview with ifilm's Mohammad Sadeqi, Iranian director Vahid Mousaian talks about his fim ‘The Fourth Child.’ 

Sadeqi:You broke the norms of Iranian cinema in ‘The Fourth Child’. That is the location is different from what we are familiar with in Iranian movies. You took Iranian actors to Africa which is quite novel. Moreover, The Fourth Child was shot in one of the most troubled areas of the world. Why did you choose Somalia? Why haven’t you filmed in similar setting in a more secure country?

Mousaian: From the very beginning, ‘The Fourth Child’ was supposed to be a documentary. It was at the time of the 2011 East Africa drought and I thought of the possibility of making a movie about children in Somalia. Preparations were made and I with a couple of friends traveled to Mogadishu. All we had in mind of the capital of a country or even a city disappeared the moment we arrived there. The city was in ruins. There was no independent government or even a military rule. The city was run by the African Union forces. In one of the refugee camps I met a woman who had to leave one of her four children behind while fleeing from the war. There I decided to tell her story in a film. The main challenge we faced was to decide on the cast and crew. News about conflicts and bombing and al-Shabab activities made things difficult. Many actors and actresses refused to join us. Even we had difficulties finding crew members. But those who joined us were united, determined and brave enough to do an unprecedented task regarding Iranian cinema.

Sadeqi:Why did you insist on filming in Somalia, at the heart of conflict? Was it not possible to shoot in a neighboring country with similar setting?

The key feature of a documentary is that it’s real. Somalia is different from other countries in Africa. The nature of the draught and famine was different there. It was different from what we saw in Kenya or Uganda. Many people suggested Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf. But neither the geography of that place nor the people we could pass for Somalians satisfied me.

Sadeqi:Has The Fourth Child participated in any international film festival?

Yes. It appeared in many festivals and won prizes. Many critiques wrote about it. Some of them didn’t have a favorable attitude towards Iran, politically, but admitted to have been amazed by what the Iranian Red Crescent Society did in Somalia.

Tell us more about the music and cinematography.

The director of photography Alimohamamd Qasemi and I were classmates. He is a risk taker and fearless enough to work in Africa. I think he did a great job. Mr Shahbazian has composed the music which is in my opinion is fantastic. 

RSH/RSH