A Good Time for Tragedy

"Forough Farrokhzad" Funeral Ceremony

Part 3 of documentary trilogy about Persian poet Forough Farrokhzad. This part focuses on her theatre and film work.

Ahmad Reza Ahmadi

This vibrant documentary takes us on a historical journey of Iranian music throughout the 20th century.

Part 1 of the trilogy concerning Persian poet Farough Farrokhz. This film traces her personal life.

A review on contemporary story writing in Iran, with the presence of three famous novelists, and using the great novelist's pictures. A documentary is ordered for screen in "Yalda literature prize" ceremony

A documentary centring the works of legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa from the point of view of Iranian film critics and filmmakers and three of Kurosawa's colleagues. This documentary explores Kurosawa's major films, discussing his artistic and narrative approaches in detail. The film also briefly manages to show the recognition of Kurosawa's work in Iran.

An intimate documentary on Iranian songwriter and poet Yaghma Golrouee. Alternating performance footage, poetic digressions and interviews with the poet, the film explores Iranian music and songwriting through the years, chiefly socio-political songs before and after the revolution. In 'I Am Just a Poet, Officer', Golrouee highlights the importance of poetry in politically engaged music, largelly stemming from the work of seminal Persian poets such as Abu Abdollah Jafar ibn Mohammad Rudaki. Golrouee also discusses and criticizes the content and imagery of Iranian pop music.

A fascinating insight into the Iranian pop music industry, Nasser Saffarian examines the history of the 'anti-love song,' a form that rejects the idea of the conventional love song in favor of darker subject matter, such as bitterness, betrayal and regret. Featuring interviews with established musicians and poets such as Shahkar Binesh Pajouh, Pari Zanganeh, and Ahmad Reza Ahmadi, the film details the genre’s emergence in the early 2000s. However, we learn that anti-love song themes have existed as far back as the 1960s. An absorbing, fantastically researched film.

The documentary “Elaheh” explores aspects of the life of Elaheh Farmani ( 1946 - 2022 ), who contributed to Eastern philosophy, translating mystical texts, promoting vegetarianism, and founding the Iranian Vegetarian Society. In this film, Bozorgmehr Golbidi, her husband, meets with several mutual friends and close acquaintances to revisit memories and learn more about his wife. Through these encounters, we gain a deeper understanding of Elaheh Farmani.

An interview with the late Iranian singer, Khatereh Parvaneh.

This intriguing short portrays the lifestyle of a Spanish woman living in Washington D.C. as she protests the American occupation of Iraq. Residing in a tent directly outside of the White House, Conception Picciotto is a constant presence amongst the tourists and visitors to this landmark. Yet this is much more than a documentary about an eccentric and determined woman. As Picciotto tries to turn the 4th of July celebrations into a protest against U.S. imperialism, the film brilliantly illustrates the gap between the ideal of freedom of speech and its reality.

Part 2 of the trilogy concerning Persian poet Farough Farrokhz. This film examines her controversial, sometimes erotic, poetry. Contemporary Iranian poet Forough Farrokhzad became a legend in her own time for her innovative and controversial writings. In this extensive, three-part documentary, Farrokhzad's life, work, and soul are laid bare. Director Nasser Saffarian deftly combines interviews with family members and peers with footage of Farrokhzad shot by Bernardo Bertolucci. Saffarian digs deep into her personal and professional life to uncover new information about this outspoken artist. Includes The Green Cold, a revealing look at her private world, The Mirror of the Soul, an exploration of her controversial, sometimes erotic poetry, and Summit of the Wave, an overview of her theater and film work.