'Kimia' director reveals details on series

In an exclusive interview with ifilm, Iranian director of ‘Kimia’, Javad Afshar, talks about new details on his series.

Afshar is considered one of the most important directors who made several phenomenal series that pulled in a large number of viewers such as ‘Dirty Money’, ‘Brother’, ‘My Mother’, ‘Like a Mother’ and ‘Kimia’.

You can read select parts of his interview with ifilm below:

ifilm: What prompted you to direct this series?

Director: In fact, the screenwriter, Masoud Behbahani-Nia, said that the story of the series is inspired by his own life story. Yet he chose the main character of the story to be a woman. The television audiences these days are smart and they do not watch any series, but the first time the series was aired, it managed to attract 70% of viewers and they followed all its episodes. This does not mean that the series is perfect, but its strengths outweigh his weaknesses.

ifilm: What would you say if I asked about one positive feature of ‘Kimia’?

Director: ‘Kimia’ is a series that anyone can follow because it includes different characters, both positive and negative, and the characters of the series resemble common people from the grassroots in society. 

ifilm: How did you choose Mehraveh Sharifi-Nia as the heroine of the series?

Director: To choose an actress for the role of Kimia, it took me about a year to 15 months, and I chose Sharifi-Nia among many actresses and all the graduates of universities and acting academies, and even amateur actors.

ifilm: Before filming 'Kimia' I had another series to make, but my mind was busy with 'Kimia' and after finishing the series, I searched a lot for the actress who could play the role of Kimia. Then I found Ms. Sharifi-Nia to play alongside Azita Hajian in the series, realizing later I found what I wished for.

The series ‘Kimia’ deals with the impact of social developments on family relations. The father and the girl stand against each other, with the girl objecting to the disciplined and law-abiding military father. Some events in Kimia’s life get her embroiled in a big sinister plot. Though she tirelessly seeks to save her family.

AG/AG