Tag Archives: Iranian film

December 2024 Viewing Diary

Posted on January 1, 2025 by sheila

The Last Showgirl (2024; d. Gia Coppola) Pamela Anderson gives my favorite performance by a woman this year. I reviewed the film for Ebert. Dark Waters (2019; d. Todd Haynes) I love movies about rapacious evil corporations, and a dogged … Continue reading →

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For Liberties: What Was Good About 2024? (in film)

Posted on December 16, 2024 by sheila

Over at Liberties: my top 20 films of 2024. Tis the season for end-of-year lists. I tend to switch them up, depending on the outlet, because I don’t get attached to my lists. But those are the stand-outs. (Thanks to … Continue reading →

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Screen Slate 2024 Poll

Posted on December 13, 2024 by sheila

Happy to participate in Screen Slate’s annual poll: Best Movies of 2024: First Viewings & Discoveries and Individual Ballots My pics: Fun to scroll through – so many people polled, including directors like Pedro Almodovar and Whit Stilman!     … Continue reading →

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November 2024 Viewing Diary

Posted on December 1, 2024 by sheila

Stranger Things, Season 2, episodes 5, 6, 7 (2016) Continuing the very slow “binge” watch with my niece Lucy, and having so much fun. She gets such a kick out of showing it to me. She knows every moment and … Continue reading →

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October 2024 Viewing Diary

Posted on November 2, 2024 by sheila

Downfall (2005; d. Oliver Hirschbiegel) I’ve watched a couple of times. Always good to have a reminder of the madness of those final months, where even the most hardened monstrous men were like, “… uhm, yeah, he’s a lunatic, I’m … Continue reading →

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May 2024 Viewing Diary

Posted on June 8, 2024 by sheila

Forward Fast (2024; d. Lorraine Sovern) I met Lorraine at the Florida Film Festival. Someone I was talking to at a party told me about her work and about this short film. He then pulled her over to our group … Continue reading →

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News about Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof

Posted on May 9, 2024 by sheila

Deja vu horrible news out of Iran. (Another story I’ve been following is the persecution of Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, which has been going on for two years now. Last year he was arrested and tortured for supporting the Women … Continue reading →

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R.I.P. Dariush Mehrjui

Posted on October 18, 2023 by sheila

In the sweepstakes for the title the Most Interesting and Accomplished Filmmaker the United States Has Never Heard Of, Dariush Mehrjui has certain obvious advantages. While still in his twenties, the Iranian director made ‘The Cow’ (1969), a film so … Continue reading →

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Jafar Panahi at the airport??!! What a moment to celebrate.

Posted on April 27, 2023 by sheila

Jafar Panahi and his wife Tahereh Saeedi. At the airport. Leaving Iran. I repeat: JAFAR PANAHI IS LEAVING IRAN. I can’t believe this day has come. I am almost afraid to believe it. Like it’s a trap. Jafar Panahi’s wife, … Continue reading →

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Jafar Panahi out on bail

Posted on February 3, 2023 by sheila

It’s been a whirlwind 24 hours. Yesterday Jafar Panahi announced, via open letter, that he was going on hunger strike to protest his imprisonment. The announcement was completely devastating for those of us who have been EXTREMELY concerned about him … Continue reading →

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