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<\/a><\/p>\n\nTalk about persistence<\/a> in the face of unimaginable obstacles. Dissident Iranian director Jafar Panahi, arrested, imprisoned, placed on house arrest, dealing with a 20-year ban on film-making, not allowed to travel, not allowed to talk to foreigners, his livelihood taken away from him … continues to make films. Panahi’s situation has made international headlines. Those who work with him (and there are many, he is a beloved “local” figure) are also harassed, and sometimes arrested, their passports revoked. <\/p>\n Panahi has made THREE films since the ban came down. He is basically refusing to abide by the rules placed on him. He is a hero. Here is a big post I wrote about him<\/a>, but the full archive of my Panahi stuff is here<\/a>. <\/p>\n \n The first film that came out, after he was arrested and imprisoned, was the astonishing This Is Not a Film<\/i> (my review here<\/a>). It shows Jafar Panahi, under house arrest, waiting to see what the verdict would be. As he waits, he plans his next film. The credits roll featured blank spaces where each crew member’s name should be. A reminder of the stakes involved, of what could happen to people if their participation should be made known. (Panahi’s main collaborator, who leant him the camera to film that film, was arrested, his passport revoked.) This Is Not a Film<\/i> was smuggled out of Iran inside a pastry in order to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival. <\/p>\n Jafar Panahi’s “story” is the most important thing happening in cinema today. Nothing else even comes CLOSE. <\/p>\n \n The second film that came out post-ban was last year’s Closed Curtain<\/i> (my review here<\/a>).<\/p>\n Both films are brilliant, personal, harrowing. Angry. His situation has not broken his spirit, or extinguished his desire to criticize the Iranian regime. I hesitate to go on and on about what a hero he is, because then that makes it sound like I think his is an inspiring story. Yes, it is inspiring. He is an inspiration to all artists. HOWEVER, my main feeling about Panahi’s situation is that it is outrageous<\/i> that he should be treated this way. It is outrageous<\/i> what has been done to him. Good for him for keeping on, but let’s not forget what has been done to this man, the disgusting non-stop and sometimes life-threatening harassment designed to shut him the hell up. Forever. It is barbaric, medieval, unforgivable.<\/p>\n The films that made Panahi a festival favorite (although his films were banned in his home country) are The Mirror<\/i>, The Circle<\/i>, Crimson Gold<\/i>, Offside<\/i>. These were the films that made me a fan for life. <\/p>\n \n \nThe Mirror<\/i> tells the story of a little girl trying to get home by herself. <\/p>\n \n \nThe Circle<\/i> is a furious critique of the role of women in Iran, told through multiple stories, all of which intersect in a circular manner. It starts with a bleak quiet scene in a hospital: A woman has given birth to a baby. Her mother will not accept the news from the nurse that it is a girl. It has to be a boy. It must be a boy. Can you check again, please? Her daughter will be thrown out with the trash for “disappointing” her husband and her husband’s family. Girls are nothing. Their birth is not greeted with joy, but shame. (Panahi has a daughter. This situation infuriates<\/i> him.) Both nurse and mother are veiled. The mother is only seen from behind, a black amorphous shape. <\/p>\n \n \nThat’s the first scene. It gets worse from there. <\/p>\n \n \nCrimson Gold<\/i> is a critique of the class divide in Iran, the haves and have-nots. <\/p>\n \n \nOffside<\/i>, perhaps his most popular (inside Iran and out), tells the story of 6 girls who dress up as boys in order to attend a soccer match. All of them are arrested. While The Circle<\/i> can barely contain its rage, Offside<\/i> takes a light comedic touch. All of the girls are feisty sports fans, who will do what it takes to participate in the sporting event. Here are the girls, held in a makeshift pen behind the stadium, reacting to the sounds inside of Iran scoring a point.<\/p>\n \n Panahi thought the ban on women attending sports matches was not just unfair: it was STUPID and ludicrous and totally absurd. So he makes fun of it. As history has shown repeatedly, tyranny can withstand a lot of things, through censorship, etc. But one thing it REALLY cannot abide is comedy and satire. Sure, people will be angry at us: that means we must be doing something right. But to be LAUGHED at? No, no, NO. (Of all of Panahi’s so-called “crimes,” laughing at the stupidity of the rules may have been Panahi’s biggest offense.)<\/p>\n Although Panahi’s films never get official screenings in Iran all of them are well-known, due to the Internet and bootleg DVDs. Offside<\/i> became so well-known (despite zero screenings in the country) that the following year women showed up at stadiums across the land, fully veiled, holding signs saying WE DON’T WANT TO BE ‘OFFSIDE.’ In other words: Let us in<\/i>. (Side note: finally, last year, Panahi – and those women – were vindicated. Iran lifted its stupid stupid ban.<\/a>) <\/p>\n Other Iranian directors used subterfuge in order to get their points across. While there are social critiques in many of them (like Leila<\/i>, like The Separation<\/i>, Daughters of the Sun<\/i>, like The Cow<\/i>), the points are not as clearly made, as unambiguous, as Panahi’s. He says what he means, he shows what he means. His stuff is as clear as Dog Day Afternoon<\/i> (he has a lot in common with Lumet). Many film-makers are in jail in Iran, although none of them have the international reputation that Panahi does. Panahi was to be fall guy. The regime’s message: We are not afraid of international outcry. Panahi is going DOWN. <\/p>\n Closed Curtain<\/i> depicts a man hiding out in his seaside villa with his pet dog (dogs being banned as pets by the regime) and was a clear critique of the political situation in Iran for its citizens. But then, halfway through the film (which never leaves the villa), suddenly another figure appears, walking through the empty rooms, unveiling huge posters on the wall … posters for The Mirror<\/i>, Offside<\/i>, The Circle<\/i>. It is Panahi himself. Panahi never made cameos in his other films. But now … he has to. Not only to take the brunt of any blame – he couldn’t ask another actor to work for him in that capacity, considering the stakes – but also because his films are now ABOUT his situation. <\/p>\n It is one of the most astonishing ongoing monologues in cinematic history. He is telling us what it is like for him, he is STILL TALKING even though everything has been done to silence him. And now: the stories that make up his films before the ban are now HIS stories. He has entered into the world of his films. There is a blend of fiction\/reality that is truly radical. (That was there in his films before, most notably “The Mirror”, where the little girl rebels against the film itself, and walks off, saying she doesn’t want to do it anymore. An admission that what they have been doing all along is making a film.) <\/p>\n Closed Curtain<\/i> is the bleakest film in Panahi’s career, despite its slightly mischievous final shot. And I wondered: Can he go on? Is this it?<\/p>\n Well, now Taxi<\/i> has arrived. <\/p>\n \n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n