ifilm's exclusive report on "Cinema of Iran"

Watch ifilm’s exclusive report on the National Day of Cinema in Iran, talking to veteran actor Daryoush Asadzadeh as well as documentarian Masoud Najafi.

Below are highlights of the report.

Asadzadeh: I began working in the cinema industry in 1948, when all the directors and cameramen were of minority religions.

‘Troublesome Wife’ is the name of the first film I was in. And after that, I starred in lots of movies.

Back then, it wasn’t like today at all. It’s not comparable at all with regards to the lighting, techniques and storyline; any of it. Nothing was like it is today.

I wish we had a few of them so we could use them today and show them to people.

Movies made thirty years ago don’t exist anymore.

Anyhow, during 1952 and 1953, the cinema industry made a bit of progress and many movies were produced and consequently lots of studios were set up.

Najafi: The society and culture continued to have consistent effects on arts, literature, poetry, sculpting, music and all other aspects of art.

The cinematic form turned it into a strong wave rooted in society and also the present and became a contemporary movement.

Today, it’s known as the ‘New Wave’.

ifilm: Since then, the cinema industry have gone through a lot of changes. After the revolution, the cinema industry showed another side of it to the world.

Najafi: From then on, the cinema industry of Iran entered a new phase which was natural. It was categorized into movies for festivals, movies based on content, movies commissioned by the government, mainstream movies or commercial ones.

Meanwhile, some survive the changes and traces of the cinema industry before the revolution in different forms, regarding techniques, production and content; we can see these traces in the cinema industry after the revolution, too.

AI/AG