Synopsis
The face of charismatic leader Khomeini and his successors, portraits of
national martyrs, animal figures symbolizing good and evil: these huge
paintings, commissioned and sponsored by the government, cover the walls
of entire buildings in Iran. They are part of the ongoing Islamic
propaganda campaign begun at the time of the Revolution in 1979, in
spite of the fact that Islam is an iconoclastic religion. The murals
proliferated after the war against Iraq, which broke out a year after
the birth of the Islamic Republic, cramming the streets amongst
advertising billboards for household appliances and mobile phones, and
they have become true “epics” of common men who – through the sacrifice
and martyrdom held dear by the Shiite religious tradition – want to be
fully acknowledged as heroes by the collectivity. These works stand out
today in the urban landscape, amalgamating politics, war and religion
into a single image. In recent years new imagery has begun to appear,
abstract and mystic paintings or a kind of French-style trompe-l’oeil,
evidence of the will to give the country a new, modern and more peaceful
face, and a reflection of the changes, fears and contradictions of a
vibrant Islamic society, brought under the spotlight of international
attention.
You can read more about Annalisa Vozza.
A journey through today's Iran, by means of the huge paintings commissioned by the government, which tell about the myths and values of an evolving Islamic society. A full-length documentary, coproduced by Fabrica and RSI, Swiss Television, broadcast on RSI on December 2008 and presented in several international film festivals, including Taormina Film Fest, 2009 and Faito DOC Festival. V.O. Farsi, S.T. English. Format 16:9
You can watch a trailer here and another one here.
In partnership with: RSI, Radio della Svizzera Italiana whom you can contact to buy the movie.
Tel: +41 91 803 5482 | Fax: +41 91 803 5725 |
E-mail: salesoffice@rsi.ch
I am grateful to Faito DOC Festival for showing this film to me.
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