Docunight

(FREE PROGRAM) CURRENT AFFAIRS 4: WOMEN FIGHT BACK

Last week in Iran, a young woman named Mahsa Amini was arrested and subsequently killed while in morality police custody. Her crime, according to the Islamic Republic, was “improper” hijab. Following this tragedy, demonstrations erupted across the country in protest of her death and to demand justice. Women in Iran have been and still are against compulsory hijab, and now their fight against enforced hijab is in the spotlight. Docunight dedicates this week’s program, “Women Fight Back” to Mahsa Amini and all Iranians who are fearlessly standing up against injustice, oppression, and tyranny.
“Women Fight Back” will feature documentaries that promote activism and resistance and uplift the women’s liberation movement in Iran.

Featuring 5 films:

Divorce Iranian Style • Directed by Kim Longinotto & Ziba Mir-Hosseini • 1998 • Iran/United Kingdom

Iranian Women's Liberation Movement, Year Zero • Directed by Claudine Mulard • 1979 • France

Iranian Journey • Directed by Maysoon Pachachi • 2000 • Germany/Iran/United Kingdom

Our Times • Directed by Rakhshan Banietemad • 2001 • Iran

The Story of Gordafarid • Directed by Hadi Afarideh • Iran

#FREEscreening #DocunightCurrentAffairs #MahsaAmini #IranProtests #MoralityPolice #NowShowing #OnDocunight #Iran #IranianCinema #IranianFilmmakers #IranianDocumentary

Pure White • Directed by Farnaz Tabrizi & Pooria Noori • 2022 • Iran

Pure White paints a portrait of Parviz Fannizadeh, a towering figure in Iranian cinema and theater, who rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s.
Tabrizi and Noori interview some of Iran’s most well-known directors and critics, such as Masoud Kimiaie and Said Noori, and even incorporate archival interviews with other directors, like Naser Taghvaie and Bahram Beyzaie. These interviews and the stunning footage of Fannizadeh’s acting on stage and in film are visual testimonies to the talent of this great thinker and exceptional actor. Although he only lived to be 42 years old, the record of his grace, presence, and art will always endure. His unforgettable role as Mash Ghasem in Naser Taghvaie’s Uncle Napoleon is forever embedded in viewers' minds.

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#PureWhite #FarnazTabrizi #PooriaNoori #JustAdded #NowShowing #OnDocunight #Iran #IranianCinema #IranianDocumentary #MasoudKimiaie #SaidNoori #NaserTaghvaie #BahramBeyzaie #UncleNapoleon #MashGhasem

The Cancelled Concert • Directed by Bahman Farmanara • 2011 • Iran

At a gathering, Parviz Yahaghi, one of Iran’s most famous composers and musicians, handed a box containing a selection of videocassettes to Bahman Farmanara. After Yahaghi’s death, Farmanara watched the tapes and realized that they were a record of Yahaghi’s daily life, shot by Yahaghi himself. The Cancelled Concert is an artistic mix of this footage, interwoven with interviews with prominent artists, such as Ahmadreza Ahmadi, Nawab Safam, and Bijan Taraghee.

This film balances Yahaghi's personal records with interviews and voice messages from Yahaghi’s lover to create a remarkable and sensitive portrayal of an artist’s life in solitude.

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#TheCancelledConcert #BahmanFarmanara ##DocunightPerspectives #JustAdded #NowShowing #OnDocunight #IranianDocumentary #IranianCinema #Iran

Laughter in the Dark • Directed by Mojgan Khaleghi • 2019 • Iran

Laugher in the Dark tracks the historical changes and developments in the theater arts in the Iranian City of Isfahan from the late 1900s through to today. By tracing the works of pioneers in the field, and by incorporating footage of and interviews with well-known actors, directors, and historians such as Jale Rajaie, Houshang Harirchian, Ali Rafiei, and others, Khaleghi highlights the authenticity of this art and the ceaseless efforts of those involved.

Laughter in the Dark is a richly rewarding documentary that calls attention to women’s important role in the history of theater. This film is without a doubt an essential view for those who are interested in the subject.

You can watch this and all our other documentaries by becoming a member via docunight.com

#LaughterintheDark #MojganKhaleghi #JustAdded #NowShowing #OnDocunight #Iran #IranianCinema #IranianDocumentary

Saman • Directed by Sohrab Kavir • 2016 • Iran

Saman is an intelligent, sweet, and charismatic boy with muscular dystrophy. Despite his incurable disease, he remains hopeful, and his charm and calmness in the face of uncertainty are unforgettable.
The film’s dramatic end comes when Saman passes away. Kavir features scenes that show how loved Saman was by his family, especially his father, whose emotional bond with Saman is sure to move every viewer. This film reveals the harsh and heartbreaking truth that some governments are still ignorant when it comes to this disease and unable to provide proper facilities, care, and support to patients and their families.

You can watch this and all our other documentaries by becoming a member via docunight.com

#Saman #SohrabKavir #JustAdded #NowShowing #OnDocunight #Iran #IranianCinema #IranianDocumentary

To Kill a Sparrow • Directed by Zohreh Soleimani • 2014 • Afghanistan, USA

When Soheila’s brother runs away with a married woman, their father betroths her to the betrayed husband. Soheila, unable to cope with the injustice of the situation, flees town with her lover. When the family finds them, they are both sent to prison for this "moral crime."

To Kill a Sparrow tells the heartbreaking story of Soheila, a young girl full of determination and a survivor of domestic abuse who fights alone against cultural practices that have more power than the law. This is a daring documentary and a powerful testament to the importance of women’s rights in Afghanistan.


You can watch this and all our other documentaries by becoming a member via docunight.com

#ToKillaSparrow #ZohrehSoleimani #JustAdded #NowShowing #OnDocunight #Aftghanistan

9th of May 2014 • Directed by Aslan Shahebrahimi • 2014 • Iran

This short film follows a young woman named Neda and her friends on the day of her thesis defense. The handheld camera observes them during the defense, in the car, and later at an amusement park. It reveals the intimacy they share, their friendship, and the unbreakable bond that unites them. In the last scene of the film some of them get injured at the amusement park, one receiving damage to her spinal cord that leaves her paralyzed. The shift from moments of great happiness to devastating tragedy is heart-rending and is sure to shock and distress some audiences.

You can watch this and all our other documentaries by becoming a member via docunight.com

#9thofMay2014 #AslanShahebrahimi #JustAdded #NowShowing #OnDocunight #IranianDocumentary #IranianCinema #Iran

The 17s • Directed by Atieh Attarzadeh & Aslan Shahebrahimi • 2014 • Iran

The 17s follows the lives of a group of 17-year-olds who love acting and theatre. Each of them is given a camera to record themselves, and through these recordings a powerful and unforgettable image of adolescence emerges. These youths passionately strive for their dreams and to prove their uncompromising enthusiasm for acting.
Though the cinematography is simple, it is incredibly functional, and it captures both haunting and nostalgic moments well. This film is filled with adolescent humor and is a very enjoyable experiment to watch.

You can watch this and all our other documentaries by becoming a member via docunight.com

#The17s #AtiehAttarzadeh #AslanShahebrahimi #JustAdded #NowShowing #OnDocunight #IranianDocumentary #IranianCinema #Iran

The 17s • Directed by Atieh Attarzadeh & Aslan Shahebrahimi • 2014 • Iran

The 17s follows the lives of a group of 17-year-olds who love acting and theatre. Each of them is given a camera to record themselves, and through these recordings a powerful and unforgettable image of adolescence emerges. These youths passionately strive for their dreams and to prove their uncompromising enthusiasm for acting.
Though the cinematography is simple, it is incredibly functional, and it captures both haunting and nostalgic moments well. This film is filled with adolescent humor and is a very enjoyable experiment to watch.

You can watch this and all our other documentaries by becoming a member via docunight.com

#The17s #AtiehAttarzadeh #AslanShahebrahimi #JustAdded #NowShowing #OnDocunight #IranianDocumentary #IranianCinema #Iran

The 17s • Directed by Atieh Attarzadeh & Aslan Shahebrahimi • 2014 • Iran

The 17s follows the lives of a group of 17-year-olds who love acting and theatre. Each of them is given a camera to record themselves, and through these recordings a powerful and unforgettable image of adolescence emerges. These youths passionately strive for their dreams and to prove their uncompromising enthusiasm for acting.
Though the cinematography is simple, it is incredibly functional, and it captures both haunting and nostalgic moments well. This film is filled with adolescent humor and is a very enjoyable experiment to watch.

You can watch this and all our other documentaries by becoming a member via docunight.com

#The17s #AtiehAttarzadeh #AslanShahebrahimi #JustAdded #NowShowing #OnDocunight #IranianDocumentary #IranianCinema #Iran

9th of May 2014 • Directed by Atieh Atarzadeh & Aslan Shahebrahimi • 2014 • Iran

This short film follows a young woman named Neda and her friends on the day of her thesis defense. The handheld camera observes them during the defense, in the car, and later at an amusement park. It reveals the intimacy they share, their friendship, and the unbreakable bond that unites them. In the last scene of the film some of them get injured at the amusement park, one receiving damage to her spinal cord that leaves her paralyzed. The shift from moments of great happiness to devastating tragedy is heart-rending and is sure to shock and distress some audiences.

You can watch this and all our other documentaries by becoming a member via docunight.com

#9thofMay2014 #AtiehAtarzadeh #AslanShahebrahimi #JustAdded #NowShowing #OnDocunight #NawabSafam #BijanTaraghee #IranianDocumentary #IranianCinema #Iran