Iranian cinema has much to offer to anyone who wants to acquaint himself with the country’s history, culture and way of life. The “Iranian Film Festival”, a four-day festival organised by the Directorate of Film Festivals in association with the Iran Culture House, New Delhi, opened a window to Persia. The festival had a fine collection of 13 films which included Track 143 by Narges Abyar, So Close, So Far by Reza Mirkarimi and Gold and Copper by Homayoun Asadian. One learns a lot from watching movies which have references to wars on borders and within. The cinematic treats presented the day-to-day lives of Iranians. Most of the films at the festival were narratives of middle class people caught in the whirlpool of life threatening situations. Like Gold And Copper , which is the tale of a young cleric who visits Tehran with his family to attend ethical classes. It highlighted his experiences of dealing with vagaries of life when his wife gets diagnosed with a disease which has made her partially paralysed. It highlighted the husband’s extraordinary patience in dealing with his wife’s illness and how the man managed to do daily chores at home when the wife is not well. Another heart wrenching story was So Close, So Far which depicts the pain which a father undergoes when he comes to know that his only son is going to die in a month’s time. Despite being world class neurologist himself, he is unable to cure him and when his son goes on a trip to the desert, he follows the son just to see him. The film showcases his experiences in the harsh journey in desert where he himself faces death.
The most dominating markers of new Iranian cinema is the abundant use of colours in sweeping landscapes, and reflection of bucolic and nomadic existence. The festival also paid tribute to the world famous Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami, whose Taste of Cherry won Cannes’ top prize in 1997. His Through the Olive Trees was screened on the final day of the festival.
The inaugural session began in style with traditional Iranian music performed by Ronak, an Iranian ensemble. Reza Mirkarimi’s acclaimed drama A Cube of Sugar , which was Iran’s entry in the best foreign-language film category at the 85th Academy Awards, was the opening film. Adding to the flavour, people were served traditional Iranian tea throughout the screenings.
Apart from cinema, the festival offered visitors a cultural treat.
Artefacts and carpets representing the traditional Iranian techniques were on display. Khatamkari and ghalam zani, the art of engraving over surfaces, and qalamkari, the traditional block printing mainly used in carpets attracted the attention. Ghalam Zani, which is carving of design on metals, is also part of Delhi’s tradition and could easily be seen in quite a few of Old Delhi restaurants, while meenakari, which is the art of colouring and ornamenting metals in Iran, can also be seen in jewellery and art work created during the reign of Mughals.
