Well, I'm thinking of Jafar Panahi, who has had three films in recent years make break into the U.S. market. They are pretty big full-length features, and they are all shot locally. He's directed:

Crimson Gold (2003)
The Circle (2000)
The Mirror (1997)
The White Balloon (1995)

I believe he produced the most recent three as well. I personally hane only seen The Circle and The White Balloon. But they were both excellent in their own way. The White Balloon was much more subtle of a flick, about a little girl who tries to manuever her desires to buy a gold fish. Basically, she only has a few hours before the store closes and she drops her money down a grate in the street. Her and her brother try to recruit people to assist in retrieving it. The film is very paced, the girl is very determined and the street of Tehran are play as the background, providing glimpses of fairly authentic street life.

The Circle was an outright condemnation of the situation women experience under sexually oppressive legislation. It is an excellent film, it is a horrible experience. I highly recommend it as one of the best, but have only seen it once and will probably never watch it again. It is that tough to stomach. Many female characters are introduced and removed throughout the film, and its quite clear that all their situations are about the inevitable failure of their efforts to not end up either taken advantage of, or in jail. Its pretty vicious.

About The Circle, however, the fact that it was shot, and that Jafar's name is so big in distribution, is perhaps an indication of contemporary advancements in Iranian society. In fact, I'm still surprised that he had funding and became so big as far back as Balloon in '95. Balloon won Jafar the "Golden Camera" award at Cannes. It wasn't a tiny feature even then.

So how did Panahi, a director with gender critical undertones, become the biggest name out of Iran? I can see why his films where well received outside of his home country, where we love to accept films that condemn other systems than our own. We can call it a rude awakening to the way women are treated in some societies without having to reflect on anything that might be going on in our own. Furthermore, at least the U.S. that I know of has always had a soft spot for politically charged "cerebral" foreign flicks. I mean that not in condemnation, I'm included in that group, and consider it a way the "word gets out." About certain criticisms.

What seems to me however, is that he is also very big, and gets alot of finacial support from domestic patrons. Is that true? Does anyone know where he gets film production crew and financial support from? I know he uses Iranaian actors and films locally. That requires permission, so he clearly has some government support no? That is surprising in light of the content of The Circle...and refreshing.

He's argueably the biggest name out of Iran's film history. Even when you consider Majid Majidi's two releases Children of Heaven (1997) and The Color of Paradise (1999).

How about Shohreh Aghdashloo? An Oscar nomination, plus she's going to be in the upcoming movie, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, with Tom Wilkinson and Laura Linney.

That's true. I forgot about Shohreh...she made a huge impression in House of Sand and Fog. IMO, she was the best thing that movie offered (the second being ben kingsley). I thought the mmovie was pretty crappy and that the 'other' story with connelly was horrible and horribly acted. However, it was shot in the U.S. and while Shohreh put Iran on the map, it was about an Iranian American family.

Panahi is from Iran, films in Iran, and deals with Iranian (vs. Iranian American) content. I have no idea if he has had trouble with the government after The Circle, or if he is encouraged there.

Coupling him with Shosheh and Majidi though is proving that there is a strong film culture being nurtured there currently. Wouldn't you say?

Yep, she was the best part of the movie for me, as well. I don't know a whole lot about films of Iran, but I do know some about their culture from a project I did in my Junior year of High School. Coincidently enough, that was for House of Sand and Fog that went along with an analysis of the book. Are these movies of her's easlily obtainable here? I would love to check some of them out.

Um easily obtainable? I know you can get them in Cambridge and New York. You live in Cincinnati right? That's a big city. Maybe not blockbuster but Hollywood video. I got them at little sotres...I don't really like to go to blockbuster for many reasons, but they don't carry the stuff I watch anyways.

White Balloon was very big here because of Cannes. So for sure you will be able to get that, but its much more subtle. Not necessarily an over-handed political context. Like I said, you see the background though.

The Circle was pretty widely distributed I think, because it got a second distributuon after 9/11 when we were suddenly interested in the Middle East.

So you might be able to get it, even at Hollywood Video.

I would suggest the latter if you really want to see something scathing that will make you cry and, well, shock you. I was upset for a long time afterwards, moreso because the narrative made it personal instead of just the general "victim" conversations one encounters when talking about entire societies. See it and let me know what you think.

What was your project on? Rusty is doing one on gender roles in society now, and he may find what you had to say interesting.

Yea, by easily obtainable I meant can you rent it at video stores like that. I'll look both places, and if not, then I'm not sure where to look.

My project wasn't anything big, just about their culture. (Foods, religion, sports, etc.) Also, I touched on the Iranian Revolution. We had to do a project on the book we read, and since House of Sand and Fog was centered around an Iranian family, I chose that. I really didn't work that hard on it either, because I spent most of my time on the actual analysis.

Not sure I would be able to help Rusty on that, but I could try.

l recently rented Crimson Gold after reading numerous people at a couple websites calling it the best of 2003 etc...

anyway, l watched it, and (considering what l'd read) was rather disappointed...it was good...but not great. it kinda dragged in some places, and was a little boring. l had to stop it once or twice to kinda take a break...but then again, l was really tired, too.

like l said, it was good...acting and storywise...and it was quite interesting..l just wasnt really into it, l guess...

Wow. Netflix gave The Circle surprisingly weak reviews. I don't know what they were expecting exactly. Its not high budget, and he chooses to address street life, etc. I've not seen the newest, but Kypade seems to be right in line with the flix reviews, saying it was a little worse even. That's too bad.

I think you all should give The Circle a chance though, and discuss it here.

The fact that so many people have seen this body of work still says alot for this foreign director. I wonder how he got through to international audiances, and how he even got funding to film at home?