Watch ifilm exclusive report on the Iranian movie 'A Special Day' directed by Homayoun Asadian and starring Mostafa Zamani.
ifilm: Have you ever thought that when you’re looking at somebody else’s lives you would think that if I was in that person’s shoe or in that situation I would do something else? But when you’re actually in that situation, you completely change your mind. The movie we’re going to talk about today, ‘A Special Day’ talks about this.
Homayoun Asadian, director: My last film was ‘Kissing the Moonlike Face’; I made it nearly five years ago. From that moment on or I’d better say a year later, the idea of making a film that later became ‘A Special Day’ came to my mind. But because I’m a bit lazy, and the idea has to shape in my mind little by little, and over time, it took almost three years and underwent many changes.
From three years ago, I mean two years before filming began, for the role of Hamed, I had Hamed Behdad in my mind to take on that role until almost one month before we began shooting the film. We had almost reached a deal with Hamed, but one month before we began filming, some things came up, we felt it’s to the advantage of both of us not to cooperate with each other in this project. Hamed quit and the team suggested Mostafa Zamani and I’m very delighted that he took on that role.
Mostafa Zamani, actor: When this film was suggested to me, one of the good characteristics of Homayoun Asadian is that he told me let’s meet each other first. We met and he asked me to read the screenplay and give him an answer, like in one day. I left the Café and then gave him a call. I asked him for another day to give him my response. Then I agreed. The screenplay was very simple and straight forward.
Homayoun Asadian: After I made the series ‘Never-Ending Road’ I had a slight misunderstanding or dispute with Farhad Aslani. You know these things just happen on set. During these years we hadn’t been in touch with each other. When the team suggested Farhad Aslani for the role of Sazegar, I said forget about him. I didn’t tell them anything but I kept thinking for two days. I gave it a second thought assumed that they’re right. He’s great for the role and we’re not supposed to take a slight misunderstanding to the grave with us. One day I went to the office and asked the guys to give him a call and see whether he’ll accept or not. Immediately Maziar Miri called him and after greetings he said that he’s making a film with Homayoun Asadian and that we’de like him to be in it. As I was told, he was silent for a moment as if he was shocked and then he had asked when he should meet with us. I still say that I really appreciate it; I’ve already told him this. He didn’t have any ifs and buts, nothing. He came immediately, he liked the role and he told me that it was all a misunderstanding and he was glad that we had called him.
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