ifilm's exclusive report on 'Under the Smokey Roof'

Watch ifilm's exclusive report on 'Under the Smokey Roof' directed by Pouran Derakhshandeh, starring Abolfazl Miri.

Below are the highlights of the report.

ifilm: Modern life always surprises us with new problems. An emotional divorce is one of them. Actually the theme of the film that we’re going to talk about today, is about that; and Pouran Derakhshandeh has directed it; a director who is always concerned with social issues.

Pouran Derakhshandeh, director: The reason behind making this movie was financial matters, to be honest; because I’m an independent filmmaker. I sponsor my films myself and no one supports me. So far, the Farabi Cinematic Foundation has helped me to some extent. After ‘Hush’ Girls Don’t Scream’, there was a donor who supported me. Additionally, my films take time to be made due to the research that should be done. Because I can’t just make up a story in my mind and turn it into a film or choose a subject and turn it into a movie.

ifilm: When did the dilemma of emotional divorce even begin in Iran?

Derakhshandeh: Emotional divorce has been present in our society for a long time but considering the situation all the problems used to be tolerated and we believed that this is the way it is and life should go on. But it’s been a few years that the issue of emotional divorce and couples ignoring each other in married life doesn’t end up in quarrels or divorce. Couples now believe that the house they live in belongs to them and they can live there but they can have their own separate life, too.

Daily life doesn’t have many ups and downs for you to think that you can go after any actors/actresses and choose him/her. It’s really hard to find an actor who lives a private life. So we needed someone who acted like an amateur and made you believe a boring and lost life. So, from the very beginning I had Merila Zarei in my mind for taking on this role. Also, I had Mr. Aslani‌ in my mind from the beginning because he is an actor who can perfectly portray human sufferings. He feels them, believes them and portrays them. I like this performance greatly.

ifilm: One of the actors in this movie was an amateur actor, Abolfazl Miri. But now, we can no longer call him an amateur.

Abolfazl Miri, actor: Choosing me to be a part of this project took almost a year and a half because during this time, Ms. Derakhshandeh was working on the screenplay and also choosing the cast members. They held auditions and I was chosen during the first phase of the audition. Then there was a show-down among a few actors and in the end it was my honor to be chosen.

About being scared of the other cast members; even though I had the support of Pouran Derakhshandeh, it truly was scary. Merila Zarei is a star in the Iranian cinema, also Farhad Aslani and all the others. But each and every one of them helped me so much and taught me lessons, I appreciate it. It was a pleasure for me. Each one of them was like a training course for me. In some scenes, Farhad Aslani would talk to me and tell me how to behave and speak. I haven’t attended many acting courses. But this project was like a training course for me.

Derakhshandeh: I never think about the box office. I always think about the audience, about how many people are going to see the movie. But I never think about how much it is going to sell. When I enter the cinema hall and watch the movie with the audience, the prevailing silence gives me the most energy. I feel that the movie is being seen, it is being heard, being paid attention to.

FM/AG