In this episode Thomas discusses Mohsen Makhmalbaf. He is a student journalist with us on a placement organised by the Oxford University Career Services. This article was edited using the ChatGPT.
🎧 listen to Thomas’s backstory here - she discusses her motivation & research as well.
Thomas also wrote a short 2 min read article about Mohsen Makhmalbaf with a summary inforgraphic.
Mohsen Makhmalbaf was described by his friend, Amir-Hossein Fardi, as an “extremist”. In the sense that his political and social views only seem to be reflections of steadfast commitment to one side or the other. He was arrested in 1974, at the age of 17, for a pro-revolutionary stabbing of a police officer. 31 years later, he left Iran (in 2005) due to fear of persecution again. His fierce criticism of the post-revolutionary regime and his refusal to bow to its artistic dictates made him an obvious target. In the time between those two events, he released a number of films. Gabbeh (1996). A Moment of Innocence (1996). Kandahar (2001) all being notable examples. They won him awards. The Jury Prize at Cannes. This was for “A Moment of Innocence”. The Silver Bear Award for Best Director at the Berlin International Film Festival for “Gabbeh”. His film “Close Up” was included in Sight and Sound’s list of the fifty greatest films ever.
All of these films demonstrate his “extremism”. That is, his commitment to “holding a mirror up” to Iranian society and culture to reveal its faults. Also to underlining the common human experience that unites different cultures and languages. Asides from this, his “extremism” has manifested itself in his vocal support for various protest movements in Iran. Along with criticism of the Iranian government. Ultimately, his “extremism” is just an expression of the artistic drive, passion and commitment that has led him to become one of the greatest directors and social commentators of our age. It is also the reason he had to leave Iran – for such individuality can never be tolerated by such a regime. It is why he is such an interesting character, and why I choose him as my arty refugee.
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