ifilm's exclusive report on feature film 'Patrol 2'

Watch ifilm's exclusive report on feature film ‘Patrol 2’ directed by Saeed Soheili and starring actress Bahareh Afshari.

Below are highlights of the report.

ifilm: Saeed Soheili has already made box office hits like ‘Chahar Changuli’, but what made him make the sequel to ‘Guidance Patrol’?

Soheili: Usually, when a movie becomes a box office hit in Iran or abroad, the filmmakers decide to make sequels. But I personally don’t like it. I don’t approve of it.

I remember once I made a movie titled ‘Chahar Changuli’ and it became a box office success.

At the time, no movies would make billions; I recall it went viral that ‘Chahar Changuli’ has entered the billionaires club. It was among the rare movies that made billions.

After that, many insisted that I make the sequel. But because I didn’t like this way of filmmaking, I opposed.

When ‘Guidance Patrol 1’ was made, many insisted that I make the sequel, including those who worked on ‘Guidance Patrol 1’, and those who were involved in the cinema industry.

They would all say that the first one was successful, so I have to make the second one.

Anyhow, I didn’t want to. I opposed. It’s been about nine years since ‘Chahar Changuli’ and I have rejected the idea of a sequel.

Also, it’s been about five years since ‘Guidance Patrol 1’, but they kept insisting and they would say that people like the three characters, Hamid Farrokhnejad, Saeed Soheili and Poulad Kimiyaee played in the film. They wanted to see them again and see what happens to them in the end.

Finally, I can say that I was deceived and despite my will, I decided to make the sequel to ‘Guidance Patrol 1’. But now that I’ve begun this game, I might make the third one, too.

ifilm: This movie has been criticized a lot, but Saeed Soheili thinks differently about those criticisms; let’s hear them.

Soheili: You know, many criticize films, but the final decision is made by the people. The final decision should be made in the cinema halls by the audience after the film in screened.

When they go and see a movie, it shows that they liked the movie. And if they don’t go and see it, it means that they didn’t like it. I mean, the tickets that are bought indicate people’s opinions.

After being on the screens for four weeks, the movie has sold more than 12 billion tomans, which is unprecedented in the cinema industry of Iran. It means that people liked it.

Other criticisms are not that important; they are important for the filmmakers to read and learn. But the opinion that makes everyone excited is the people’s opinion.

Luckily, people were happy with this movie; they showed that by buying tickets.

Afshari: To be honest, I don’t read criticisms much. I don’t mean that I’m not open to criticism.

I believe that criticism is something basically wrong. When you criticize something, you voice your personal opinion about something even if you’re the best critic out there and it still doesn’t matter to me at all.

You criticize a performance, screenplay or movie based on your own opinion.

AI/AG