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Summary
Abu Dhabi's third annual Middle East Film Festival showcased two Iranian films that have received critical acclaim since their release. The first, entitled About Elly, released in June 2009 obtained Berlin's Silver Bear award for best directing. Ashgar Farhadi, About Elly's writer and director explained how he approaches film making in a universal manner, shying away from making them exclusively Iranian. About Elly tells the story of three families who travel to the North of Iran. After one of the adventurers disappears, the story shifts into an amalgamation of lies and deceit, themes which form the crux of Farhadi's film. Farhadi also avoided the film to be esoteric by focusing on Iran's middle class. With this approach he says, the film doesn't become one about class struggle, about poverty or wealth. It's simply a story about humans and human nature set against a mundane backdrop, one which, with minor changes can happen anywhere in the world. The second Iranian film which was first premiered in Cannes is the work of director Bahman Ghobadi. Compared to Farhadi's About Elly, Ghobadi's film entitled 'Don't Forget About the Persian Cats' explores censorship in Iran by looking at underground music and underground bands. Ghobadi, an avid musician himself also directed Half Moon another film based on music in Iran. Ghobadi expresses a deep love for music and a recognition of its power, especially when conveyed through the medium of cinema. 'Don't Forget about Persian Cats' was released in December 2009, approximately six months before Iran's Presidential elections and the unrest that ensued.
