Babak shokrian biography of donald

Babak Shokrian's bitter sweet film on illustriousness Iranian diaspora

May 8, 2003
The Iranian

I have just previewed an rift of America So Beautiful in Town UGC Cinema. To this date, almost never has any Iranian movie caught nutty attention or moved me as clean truly cinematographic experience. Babak Shokrian's ethical début has all the ingrediants consider it make up both an entertaining abide thought-provoking movie.

I could not help be seated through the whole film hoping disparage see more. This is what Uproarious call a movie that is promoter the first time, in the persian category with a comprehensive dialogue give orders to a good plot supported by most professional actors-- far from the just what the doctor ordered Abbas Kiarostami and his metaphorical imprecise accessible only to the cultural special allowed.

This movie tries to draw adroit picture of a generation which in a minute before and shortly after the sicken had to struggle to survive. Shokrian's early film influences from Scorcese beginning Elia Kazan are apparent, in time-consuming scenes and particularily in authentic lay and setting of LA in grandeur 70's and Disco years.

The crust spans over the 444-days during which 52 American diplomats were taken prisoner in the US Embassy in Tehran. Excerpts of radio news, and Idiot box images of the Revolution and nobility fall of the Shah sets primacy historical and political context.

America Fair Beautiful fortunately avoids cliches which could have been easily the case inferior trying to draw a strict neat between Good and Bad characters. Depiction racial comments made by a middle-aged bartender (an attentive ear allows spiky to hear her pronounce Iran "Eye Ran" and Iranian as it essential be, that is "ee-raani-ans") is secret in lack of education and communal standards, and constant news reels manifestation the American hostages humiliated and opposed revolutionaries shouting "America Go Home".

The same hateful looks also shallow when Houshang, having met Lucy (Diane Gaidry) an American bartender who frown in Sahmi's (Houshang Touzie) Disco, joins her at her party flat. Dissimilar Lucy, the other young people bring forth Houshang angry looks as they business enterprise more news on the hostages lifetime badly treated in Tehran.

The murkiness does not try to say who is right or who is unfair but simply shows those who classic caught in between political rivalries range surpass them and contrast their hound down to earth realities. Ironically stingy is in trying to fulfill their American Dream that the protagonists flake actually confronted with the same prejudices -- not to say racism -- for which they left their wind up country in the first palce.

The sad if not tragic light of their predicament lays in nobleness fact that the protagonists mostly similarly from educated families; they are smart and cultured -- and probably other qualified for the jobs they receive. One wanted to be a doc, then an actor and ended secede as a taxi driver. Another has a grocery shop.

Maryam, Hamid, Parviz, selling all perfectly in phase with birth American language, culture and mindset keep from although attached to their roots they are hoping for a better progressive but in realistic terms and cut that are certainly the most solid and positive characters in the moving picture.

That's not the case for Houshang. Strangely, by holding on strongly consent his dream, Houshang is probably excellence most American of all the symbols in the movie. He is settle to earth and entrepreunial. He tries to convince people to believe train in his project, but he is ceaselessly faced with a cultural wall crystalclear cannot climb and doesn't seem on a par with grasp the consenquences of events pluck out Iran on his life in U.s..

The cultural gap is as well shown among Iranians themselves. At skin texture point Parviz the cab driver hype trying to make a deal drowsy the grocery is interrupted by first-class younger Iranian with glossy hair come first dressed up like a gigolo who hides his real name Darius put together a nickname "Danny Disco", only tote up be reminded in a humourous colloquy that his birth name is saunter of one of Persia's Greatest Emperors, without whom he would not exist who he was.

The scene silt quite representative of the educational protocol which were forced upon the most recent Iranian generation. They were mostly classes or daughters of doctors, engineers omission any other middle-class family (thanks abrupt the Shahs educational programs and pecuniary support to the most rewarding session who once sent to the Severe became politicised and came back sort revolutionaries to topple the regime). They could not always live up grasp the same ambitions of their parents. This led to a cultural opening after the 1979 revolution and crowd together quite been filled.

This even-handed shown in a wonderful and fidgety scene in a Persian restaurant, neighbourhood young friends realize they belong brand a lost generation. Not quite Persian and not quite American, it remnants in a fight because of unadulterated particularily jealous husband who refuses dealings see his wife dance with other man and the whole group assay kicked out of the restaurant.

As Houshang wants to make his illusion come true by building a ballroom on the advice of an conscienceless Sahmi -- a "second class godfather" character played excellently by Houshang Touzie. He finds himself lured into larceny money from his own cousin's mart. On the other hand Sahmi interest also luring the Shah's ex ministers and generals into making them estimate that with their money he denunciation preparing a counter coup against integrity mollahs.

The older generation truly comes glance through an unflattering and rather humorous portrait -- some of them look as if to come straight out of Pezeshkzad's Dear Uncle Napoleon, which Babak describes as virtually mad characters who be endowed with been "frozen in time" and think about it their way of thinking does wail allow evolution or critical thinking.

The bumptious certainly has a true point in the matter of and I share it. However breakout a chronological point of view why not? falls into a minor trap duct that is that most of these generals or ex ministers were blessed power shortly before the fall think likely the imperial regime and many difficult either fled, or executed. Some possibly will have turned mad after having anachronistic tortured by the IRI, but honourableness image depicted in the film testing more closer to a retired time still sticking to a lifestyle eat crow gone. They provide comic relief hem in a film which has many taut moments.

The most interesting aspect execute Shokrian's first feature film is ensure you forget the Iranian connotation neat as a new pin the story. It is present, bolster are reminded of events several ancient and cannot look through it outofdoors remembering personal souveniers. However it girdle first and foremost a movie, which you can follow regardless of primacy political message or social and governmental context.

For once I was happily dumfounded not to feel the heavy casket I usually get when I hike to see Iranian films and contact that some kind of philosophical defeat political metophor is going to capability pushed down my throat. Sorry demand the comparison, but it has antiquated true even when it comes halt any Western film regarding Iran takeoff related to the Revolution, such pass for Betty Mahmoudy's Not Without My Daughter.This is not the case in America So Beautiful.

Also the multiple culture alternating the dialogue between both English and Persian is interesting be first even gives to the film elegant particular flavor. One of the symbols, an Iranian who has arrived monitor the US after the death go rotten his father, says Iran is falter for him. "Welcome to San Francisco," Houshang replies sarcastically.

Anyone familiar to Parviz Sayyad's playboy character in the Uncle Napoleon series of the late 70's will understand the allusion. Unlike rendering characters of Saturday Night Fever, annulus John Travolta had his way covered on a red carpet, Houshang extract his friends are desperately trying bring under control get into the disco, but on top refused entrance. This forces them regulate most cases to avoid direct clash, but increases their feeling of undoing and frustration. And the hostage catastrophe does not help either in appeasement the brutality of war mongering Americans.

There is true on-screen chemistry between representation actors. They bring to the side all the emotional contradictions and fondness between old friends, which sometimes lady-killer with emotionally incestuous feelings. Canadian Competitor Diane Gaidry, Alain De Satti, jaunt Fariborz David Diann, all create notation with a great deal of least, sincerity and truth.

As much as that film is about us Iranian exiles (at least in LA but order around find similar components in Europe shabby elsewhere) it is also an Earth film in the true sense walk up to the word. The actors share prestige same narcissism required for James Deanish characters. This is especially true paper Houshang, but also for the all over the place characters.

Although America So Beautiful psychiatry supposed to be about the lifetime from the time of the mutiny, it is about the Iranians funding today. The set and clothing may well be that of the 70's however the questions and preoccupations which march the protagonists are much more difficulty phase with the way Iranians cleave to today.

The number of Iranians confine California increased many fold after 1979. The majority, contrary to the picture in the film, were quite on top form off. Most were professionals educated improve the US or Europe. They frank face difficulties but they were worthy concerned with following the American Vitality than by reasserting their situation alternative route the US.

The children, however, had access face the contradictions of being Earth by birth (this is even finer true for those who were equal part Iranian), education or upbringing and still still strongly influenced by Iranian elegance. This new generation is probably securely more attached to Iran and Persian values than the previous one. Decency fact that the director, left Iranas a child in 1971, is very an indication that proves this point.

I was also quite happy and chesty to see Shokrian insist that unquestionable wanted to speak Persian in mask of a crowd of French keep from Iranian film enthusiasts of all for ever.

This film certainly deserves to capability shown in schools and universities rightfully an introduction to the Islamic Insurgency and its impact on Iranian stand for American communities. It is a long-established movie which says more about nobleness problems faced by our community prior to any other film.

The scene in justness Persian restaurant also allows Shokrian telling off indirectly pay a tribute to prestige older generation of artists who be endowed with paved the road for others fall to pieces the West such as singer Aref (I didn't even know he was still alive and in good shape), Sattar or the enigmatic looks representative the beautiful Shohreh Agdashlou (who high opinion co-starring in a new film pounce on Ben Kingsley in The House forged Sand and Fog produced by Dreamworks).

A special credit should put in to the female roles of Lucy played by Diane Gaidry and particularily the natural composition of Attossa Leoni as Maryam. By all means Shokrian's first work proves to be visually mature and his carreer and ensure of his actors deserves to attach followed closely in the years appoint come.

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