iFilm's weekend flick ‘Maritime Silk Road’ in spotlight

iFilm English TV's weekend movie ‘Maritime Silk Road’ is event-filled and colorful, featuring amazing experiences with people from diverse societies and cultures.

The movie, directed by Mohammad Bozorgnia, is about the adventures of Soleiman, an Iranian merchant sailor who is believed to have made the first complete ocean voyage from the Middle East to China back in the 9th century.

His ocean travel starts from Siraf, an ancient seaport on the southern coast of Iran, all the way to China.

This epic voyage was of enormous cultural and economic significance as it opened up the maritime trade routes between China and the West.

Offering a Hollywood-style spectacle, ‘Maritime Silk Road’ enjoys high-level production values with expert cinematography by Bahram Badakshani and a cast of leading Iranian actors.

The cinematography includes spectacular crane shots of the ships in the sea as well as atmospheric shots of palace yards and interiors.

The cast includes Captain Nakhoda Soleiman that is played by Daryoush Arjmand.  He is the main historical figure, although the plot focuses on his assistant Shazan, played by Bahram Radan.

Shazan is a recently educated young man who joins Soleiman’s crew in order to write a chronicle of everything that happens along the way.

Captain Nakhoda Edris is played by Reza Kianian. He is the captain of a second ship that accompanies Soleiman’s on the voyage.

The late veteran actor Ezzatollah Entezami also has a small role as a slave seller in this story with a distinguished acting career that goes back to the 1940s.