'Vafa''s Joobin, martyr of love: Director

In an exclusive interview with ifilm, screenwriter and director of on-screen series 'Vafa' talk about the hit TV production.  

Screenwriter Saeed Rahmani and Director Mohammad-Hossein Latfi sat for an interview with ifilm website in which they talked about the creation and writing of 'Vafa' series.

Below is an excerpt of the interview originally conducted in Persian:

ifilm:  As you know, the series ‘Vafa’ is being aired by ifilm. Why do you think this series is still the audience's favorite?

Saeed Rahmani: There are several factors involved in the success of a series, the most important of which is an interesting and engaging story, and two effective parameters in this regard include the influencing rate as well as the permeating power of the story. The content themed on Ashura along with divine love and self-sacrifice guaranteed its effectiveness.

ifilm: What is the author of fascinating series such as ‘Vafa is up to these days?

Saeed Rahmani: I have already finished writing two series. A series called ‘The Moon and Ghazal’ produced by Sima Film, which deals with the effects of Ashura uprising and the story is set in Medina, and the second is a romantic-spy series that I have written in thirty episodes and I hope both series kick off production soon.

===============================================================================

ifilm: how is ifilm series 'Vafa' still so appealing to the audience even many years after its premiere on the small screen? 

Latifi: 'Vafa' was a romantic series - a forbidden earthly love. In my opinion, love never becomes repetitive and outdated. In the series, I wanted to soften the dry and soulless issue of Zionism with love, and I succeeded.

Choosing Pouria Poursorkh for the series 'Vafa' was a big risk. Along with actors such as Farhad Aslani and Hanieh Tavassoli. Choosing a new actor like Pouria Poursorkh was a risk.

But in my opinion, Pouria Poursorkh has the courage in his real character, and I was looking for such courage because Joobin had the courage to fall in love and was martyred.

Joobin has spent the last two years of his life in an Iranian prison for something he swears he has not done. When some mysterious figures break him out of prison, the only thing on his mind is to get himself to his beloved in Lebanon, Vafa, whom he left behind two years ago.
    
Mohsen Khavari, a detective at Tehran's police department, is hot on Joobin's trail and follows him to Beirut for bringing him back to justice. Joobin soon figures out it was his uncle along with his deceased father who helped him escape and that they were spies working for Israel. He's now caught up in a game of espionage as it becomes clear that the Israelis are only using Joobin as a tool to get to their real target which is assassinating Vafa's brother.

AG/AG