Iranian cinema

The Iranian cinema or Persan cinema indicates the film production carried out in Iran. Cinema industry is born in Iran since 1900, when the court brings back the Cinématographe of France. A specifically Iranian production develops with the length of the 20th century. Appearance of the cinema motafavet or different cinema in the years 1960 - 1970 mark a turning in the history of the industry of film in Iran, just like the Iranian Révolution of 1979. The new constraints which weigh on the realizers after the adoption of the revolutionary Islamic regime will influence cinema industry in Iran throughout the years 1980. As from the years 1990, the Iranian cinema knows an increasing recognition on the international scene. The Iranian films obtain many rewards in the international film festivals, and of the Iranian film festivals are held every year in the whole world.

History

Beginnings of the Iranian cinema

Before the arrival of the cinema in Iran, according to Morteza Ravadi, the entertainments are a luxury that only a small portion of the population can allow herself.

June 8th, 1900, at the time of a voyage in Europe, the Shah of Iran Mozaffaredin Shah witnesses a projection of cinematograph with Contrexeville, in France. The sovereign orders with his photographer, Mirza Ebrahim Khan Akkas Bashi, to buy a camera Gaumont. The made film with Ostend at the time of a floral festival is undoubtedly the first film ever made by an Iranian realizer. The first films carried out in Iran are films realized under the ordering of the sovereign, like films of the animals of the zoo, the processions of Moharram, the festivals filmed and projected at the court by Akkās Bāshi.

The first public cinema is opened by Mirza Ebrāhim Sahhāf-Bāshi in November 1904. Mirza Ebrahim, which travelled abroad, projects short comedies and assemblies of images of topicality - obtained mainly with Odessa and Rostov - for one month. Mehdi Rusi Khān, of English and Russian origin, is a former photographer at the court of Mohammad Ali Shah. It buys a projector and fifteen films at the company Pathé in order to organize projections in the royal Harem about 1907, then opens a room of approximately 200 places in the center of Teheran. It organizes projections of French comedies and films of current events every afternoon. In January 1909, Rusi Khān produces approximately 80 m of films on the ceremonies of Moharram; projected in Russia, but never in Iran. Regarded as a support of the Shah and a close relation of the Brigade cossack Persian, Rusi Khān sees its room put at bag during the constitutional revolution in 1909. Mehdi Rusi Khān leaves her material to a person who organizes itinerant representations in province before her departure in exile.

Ardāshes Batmāngariān, also called Ardeshir Khān, works at Pathé with Paris during several years and brings back to Persia the cinematograph, the gramophone and the bicycle. In 1913, it opens a room of projection to Teheran, which proposes sometimes an accompaniment of films by a piano or a violin, as well as coolings of season. From 1920, the number of rooms starts to increase, at the same time in Teheran and in province. In 1925 the Grand Sinemā is open, of a capacity of five hundred places, in the Large Hotel of Teheran, located in the street Lalezār.

The cinema in Iran was first of all reserved to the men. In 1928, rooms reserved to the women are open, but are not profitable commercially and close quickly. The same year, of the cinemas open to the two sexes are born: the men and the women enter the room by separate doors and sat on each side of the alley. The employees and the police force are charged to take care of the presence of “nonpure women and corrupted young men”.

The first Iranian films of which there remains bands are films of Khan Baba Mo' tazedi, which had worked as a cameraman for Gaumont in France. It turns of the scenes to the Majles-e Mo' assessān (“constitutional Parliament”) in 1925 and the crowning of Reza Khan in 1926. Into these silent films, Mo' tazedi introduces the use of titrations in Persan. At that time, the silent films were accompanied by “spoken”, pronounced comments with high voices in the room by a man or a woman. Avanes Ohaniān arrives to Iran in 1930 after having followed in training in cinema industry to Russia. It founds a school of film actors ( Parvareshgāh-e artist sinemā ) for young men and women. In 1931, it directs its students to film what will be it first feature film of fiction of the Iranian cinema: Ābi O rābi , a comedy, remake of a Danish series with the actors Harald Madsen and Carl Schenström. This film, filmed with special movement and effects, is a success. The second film of Ohaniān, Aqā Hadji, Aktor-e sinemā , turned in 1934, is particularly for its indoor scenes in Teheran at the time.

Ebrahim Moradi is another pioneer of the Iranian cinema. He would have worked for the named Soviet organization of the film Mezhrabpom and makes its first film in 1930, Enteqam-e Baradar (which he does not finish). He returns then to the school of cinema founded by Ohanian and carries out Bu' L Havas in 1934. This film, which does not have the business success of Dokhtar-e Lor establishes all the same a convention which goes perdurer in the Iranian cinema: the contrast between the peasant which works hard and malefic the man of the city.

In 1932, Abdolhossein Sepanta, known like the father of talking films Iranian, carries out first Iranian talking film, entitled Dokhtar-e Lor (the Lor girl) . Sepanta wrote the scenario and plays the main role. This film is made to India, by a realizer Parsi, Ardeshir Irani, and with local technicians. While choosing to make this film to India, Sepanta benefits from the best infrastructure of the Indian industry of film. At the request of the Iranian minister of education, Sepanta turns Ferdowsi , a historical fiction based on the life of the author. Between 1935 and 1937, it carries out several films like Shirin-o Farhād (a history of traditional love Iranian) and the black eyes (history of the invasion of the India by Nâdir Châh); and Leili-o Majnoun . The great success met by Dokhtar-e Lor on the Iranian screens causes a fear of the Iranian products at the foreign film distributers (which were projected of number at the time). Those are arranged then to prevent Sepanta from working in Iran. No other Iranian film of fiction will be made before 1947, Esmail Koushan produces first Iranian talking film carried out in Iran, Tufān-e Zendegi , carried out in 1947 by `Ali Daryābigi, a director trained in Germany. The film is not a success but Kushan then founds the company Pars Films, which will be one of the major studios in Iran until 1979. Esmail Koushan, at the base a graduate contractor in economy in Europe, launches out in the production of foreign films doubled in Persan and of Iranian commercial films. It carries out even relatively poor popular films like Sharmsār (1950) and Mādar (“the mother”, 1952). It produces other films of which Velgard (“the vagrant”, 1952), realized by Mehdi Ra' is Firouz; several historical films such Āqā Mohammad Khān , realized by Nosrat-Allat Mohtasham, Qiām-e Pishevari in 1954 (a satire on the Crisis irano-Soviet of 1945-1946), Amir Arsalān-e nāmdār (“illustrates It Amir Arasalan”, 1955). Kushan produces even first film carried out by graduate Iranian of a foreign school: Hifdah ruz Be e' dām (“Seventeen days until the execution”), realized by Houshang Kavoushi in 1956. The other films produced by Koushan include rural melodramas ( Bolbol-e mazra' has , 1957), of the dramatic comedies ( Shab-neshini dar jahanam , 1957), of the thrillers ( Chāhār rāh-e havādet , 1954 and Tufān dar shahr-e mā , 1958), a film on miseries of the people ( Cheshm Be rāh , 1958), a film on the tapes of districts (called Kolah Makhmali ), Lāt-e Javānmard (“a chivalrous hooligan”, 1958) and a film on the importance of the friendship and the insignificance of the money, Ganj-e Qarun (“It treasure of Qarun”, 1965).

It is thus in years 1950 that develops an Iranian cinema industry: between 1949 and 1955, fifty-eight films are produced in Iran. In 1958, twenty-two companies of production operate in Iran. The fashion of commercial films of this time is then to imitate the fictions produced in Turkey, Egypt, and particularly in India. Sung and danced sequences are inserted besides, sometimes color, in Iranian films of this time. The films produced for this period form part of a national kind, the film fārsi : “a melodrama populaireoù find a varied proportioning of the sequences of songs, dances, brawls and where the good always ends up triumphing” according to Agnès Devictor.

It is also after the second world war that the first festival of film in Iran is founded. In December 1949, the Kānun-e melli-e film (“National company of Iranian Film”) is born as a club and bookstore of film enthusiasts to the Musée of archeology of Iran. Its members organize the first film festival in Iran, projecting British films in 1950 and French films in 1951. The National company of Iranian Film poses the foundations of alternate and not-commercial films in Iran.

Another pioneer of the development of the cinema in Iran after the Second world war is Farrokh Ghaffari, which was an assistant of Henri Langlois with the French Cinémathèque and the general secretary of the International federation of the film Files in Paris between 1951 and 1956. He writes the film criticism in 1950, while writing in the press under the name of Mr. Mobārak (meaning “Congratulations”). Ghaffari also writes the first articles on the history of the Iranian cinema in 1951. The contribution of Ghaffari to the Iranian cinema is also determining insofar as it is him which produces first films of more raised quality, compared to those which were carried out at that time. In 1958, Ghaffari carries out Jonub-e Shahr (“south of the city”), a film which tells the life of people of modest condition in the south of Teheran. This film, of a neo-realist style, will be banished by the censure. In 1963, Ghaffari adapts one of the tales of the Thousand and One Nights by carrying out Shab-e Quzi (“the night of uneven”), a comedy on the fear in the various mediums of the company téhéranaise which will be presented to the Cannes festival. The other films notable of this time following films of Ghaffari are Siāvash dar Takht-e Jamshid (“Siavash with Persépolis”), an experimental film in connection with the notion of the time, carried out by the poet Fereydoun Rāhnemā in 1967. Other intellectuals of the time also carry out films which poserontnt bases of the Iranian new wave. The poetess Forugh Farrokhzad carries out Khāneh siyāh ast (“the house is black”, 1962), documentary on the leprous ones. The writer Ebrahim Golestan carries out Kesht goes Ayneh (“the brick and the mirror”), a realistic and introspective work in 1965. These films were presented abroad but did not find their public in Iran.

New developments and birth of the cinema motafavet (different)

With the production of feature films of fiction which doubles between 1959 and 1966, the cinema in Iran experiences new developments. The autumn 1964, the creation of the department of the cinema ( Edāre-ye koll-e omur-e sinemā' I ) within the Ministry for the culture and art ( Vezārat-e farhang goes honar ) makes it possible at the state to centralize all the businesses in connection with the industry of film and the censure in the same administration. For the same period, various institutions working in the Iranian cinematographic sector are created: faculty for television and film ( Madreseh-ye āli-e televizion goes sinemā ), under the aegis of recent Radio Iranian National television; union of industries of Iranian film ( Ettehādiya-ye sanāye'-e films Irān ); trade unions of actors, realizers, distributers, lapping machines, etc In 1958 is inaugurated the public record of the film ( Film-khāneh-ye melli-e Irān ), which keeps the files of Persan films and foreign films. Several cinema festivals are also set up during this period. The international festival of film for children of Teheran is created in 1966 (under the name of Festivāl-e beyn-ol-melali-e filmhā-ye kudakān No-javānān goes). From 1966 to 1977, the festival of arts of Shiraz ( Jashn-e honar ) presents a cinematographic section to the sides of the principal sections devoted to the theater and the music. In 1969 the national festival of the film ( Sepās ) is created. 1954 within the framework of the Festival Golrizan , bore its fruits with the Festival Sepas in 1969 and the efforts of Ali Mortavazi resulted in creation from the world Festival from Teheran in 1973. -->

The year 1969 marks a turning in the history of the cinema in Iran. During this same year, two realizers leave almost simultaneously their second film after a first nonconclusive test. Massoud Kimiaei carries out Qeysar , an enormous success with the boxoffice whose exit marks the end of the commercial domination of films identified like film-fārsi . Dariush Mehrjui carries out Gāv (“the Cow”) the same year, putting in scene a poor peasant who is identified with his cow. This film has an approach of the realization making it possible to identify a topic and a specifically Iranian style. It was selected besides like “better Iranian film ever carried out” in surveys of Iranian critics in 1972 and 1998. Gāv also makes it possible to make known the cinema of art and Iranian test apart from the borders of the country, thanks to the reward received with the festival of Venice and Chicago in 1971, and with many the other international presentations.

The exit of these two films marks the end of the domination of the exclusively commercial cinema and gives the impulse necessary to attract young and promising realizers or literary personalities of the time. In 1973, certain realizers leave the official trade union of the realizers to create the group of the progressive realizers ( Goruh-e sinemāgarān-e pishro ). This Iranian New wave gathers realizers visionaries who do not want to treat topics because they are commercial or which work apart from established conventions. The most recognized realizers this time are: Dariush Mehrjui, Sohrab Shahid Saless, Bahram Beyzai, Parviz Kimiavi, Abbas Kiarostami, Ebrahim Golestan, Farrokh Ghaffari, Bahman Farmanara or Nasser Taqvāi.

After the revolution, adaptations necessary

After the Iranian Revolution, the cinema survived the restrictions predicted by some. The monks in Iran traditionally associated the cinema with a Western influence which they regarded as “corrupting” and “contrary with the moralities”. However, at the time of the revolution, certain monks accept the cinema provided that it is not misused, like says it the Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini in a speech made to its return of exile in 1979. The facts and the speeches of the leaders of the new Islamic regime show that the authorities wish to adopt the cinema like an ideological instrument intended to fight occidentalization and to Islamize the company.

With the introduction of the Islamic Republic in 1980, the company, and more particularly the women and the love - two topics spread in the cinema in Iran before 1979 - become governed by the Fiqh (Islamic right). The women and the love are practically banished during the first decade following the revolution. The development of the cinema in Iran after the revolution of 1979 follows the attitude of the Iranian company as from this period: the experiment of the limits of the ideology based on the fiqh . Between 1980 and 1988, the production of Iranian films follows the topicality: fifty six films are then produced on the topic of the war against Iraq, on bottom of sensationnalism, ideology and encouragement of the effort of war. Two successes with the boxoffice are to be noted among these films of war: Barzakihā of Iraj Qāderi (1982) and Oqābhā (“Eagles”) of Samuel Katchikiān (1985).

After the revolution, several realizers leave Iran to continue to work abroad. One can quote Parviz Sayyad, which leaves to the the United States carries out for example Ferestādeh (“the mission”) in 1983; or Parviz Kimiavi, which realistic of the fictions for French television. For those which remained in Iran, the work conditions can be difficult: certain realizers or actors for example are banished cinema industry on the basis of charge morals, a producer is carried out and another imprisoned for their faith Baha' IE; the censure rejects a great majority of films.

The new Iranian mode, via the Minister for the culture and the Islamic orientation - directed by Mohammad Khatami between 1982 and 1992-, seeks to develop a national cinema in conformity with its ideological vision. The Foundation of the cinema Farabi, a semi-governmental organization, provides financings to the scenario writers. According to Ziba Mir-Hosseini, the exit of Nobat-e Asheghi , Mohsen Makhmalbaf, mark a turning in the history of the Iranian cinema post-revolutionist: its scenario puts in scene a romantic history of love. This film is only projected with the Fajr festival, and causes intense debates in the press. At the same period, directors start to make films with female characters dealing with love.

International recognition

In the absence of a free press, the cinema ends up acting as social criticism in Iran. The rather favorable reception that the critic grants to the Iranian cinema makes it possible that-Co to be recognized beyond its borders. At the time of the presidential election of 1997, scenario writers publicly express for the first time their political opinions. They line up in majority on the side of the reforming candidate, former minister for the culture, the Hodjatoleslam Mohammad Khatami. This one will work for more tolerant cultural policies. This new period of the Islamic Republic saw the arrival of films treating women and love, like Banoo-Ye Ordibehesht (“the lady of May”), of Rakhshan Outlaw-Ehtemad or Do zan (“Two women”) of Tahmineh Milani in 1999. Various Iranian cinemas

Comic cinema

factual Analysis of the Iranian comedies

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Films of fiction

Commercial cinema: the films farsi

Mohammad Ali Fardin remained an overestimated actor representing a commercial cinema which was an embarrassment for the Iranian national identity. Before Fardin, it is possible to say that Iran did not have a commercial cinema. Years 1960 were one decade important for the Iranian cinema, with more than 25 commercial films products at the year on average with the beginning of the year 1960, average increasing until reaching 65 films per annum at the end of the decade. The majority of the productions were melodramas and thrillers.

The Iranian commercial cinema is largely unknown in occident since the films are intended for local audiences. There exist two categories in this type of films. First is what many criticisms call of films of " propagande". Many of these films tell the victory of the Islamic revolution of 1979 and the Iran-Iraq war which followed, and are filled of religious references. The second category, definite like " remakes not-official of Hollywood" , gathers films which follow a formula, are played by popular actors and who have the various elements of the Indian popular cinema (of course, it exists distinct differences). They tell stories of unsatiated love in which the hero and the interest of his love are not embraced much but walk opposite a metaphorical sunset at the time of the credits of end. The attraction of these films lies in their Western aspect, which contributes much to the escape compared to the daily newspaper that these films offer. Part of the attraction of these remakes commercial lies in their identity not-Iranian woman.

Films of djahel

Progressive cinema

Since the years 1960, a movement was born in the Persan cinema, movement which created New wave what is called. Realizers like Furough Farrokhzad, Sohrab Shahid Saless, Bahram Beizai, and Parviz Kimiavi were the pioneers of this movement. They carried out innovating films of art which had very philosophical and poetic languages. Depios this time, this movement is known under the name of Nouveau Iranian Cinema in order to distinguish it from its older roots. The most important characters of the Iranian New wave are: Abbas Kiarostami, Jafar Panahi, Majid Majidi, Bahram Beyzai, Dariush Mehrjui, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Massoud Kimiaei, Sohrab Shahid Saless, Parviz Kimiavi, Samira Makhmalbaf and Abolfazl Jalili.

The factors having allowed the advent of the New wave in Iran, partly, had with internal conditions; intellectual movements or even policies were born at that time. A romantic climate developed after the coup d'etat of 1953 in the field of arts. In parallel, committed literature a socially took form in the years 1950 and reached its height in the years 1960 which can be regarded as " the era dorée" Literature Persian.

With China, Iran was celebrated like one of the exporters of large cinema in the years 1990. The universally known German realizer Werner Herzog, with much of others critic film of the whole world, regarded the Iranian cinema as one of the most important artistic cinemas of the world.

From an artistic and esthetic point of view, the characteristics of the Iranian cinema of the New wave, such as for example work of Abbas Kiarostami, can be regarded as post-modern.

In spite of common characteristics with the European cinema (the Italian neo-realist cinema, for example), nobody can contradict the existence of a specific Iranian cinematographic language, which introduces poetry into the daily life and characters ordinary in a new style, erasing the borders between the fiction and reality. The new Iranian language conematographic and its single approach inspired by the European realizers to imitate this style. The film rewarded for Michael Winterbottom, “In This World”, is the most notable homage to the Iranian contemporary cinema. This language the esthetic, humanistic new, determined by national identity and individual of the realizer, more than the forces of the globalisation, have a strong capacity of dialog, not only on its place of realization but in the whole world.

Parallel to the cinema of Iranian art neo-realist and minimalist, there exists a popular cinema of art in Iran. The realizers belonging to this circle are interested by films which have an audience broader than the cinema minimalist which is accessible only to one reduced spectrum educated people. However, these realizers think that their films are also artistic. Films of this style were born in the history of the Persan cinema. Realizers like Naser Taqvaei and Ali Hatami are the best examples of sound mouevment cinematographic. Some of its realizers also belong to the movement of the cinema of art and test. (e.g. Mehman E Mom of Dariush Mehrjui).

In the poetry Persian, Mehdi Akhavan Saless established a bridge between the schools Khorassani and Nima . It is what Massoud Kimiaei did with Qaysar ; c.à.d that it established a connection between the popular films and intellectual

Cinema in Kurdish language

In 1999, the wind will carry us ( Bad My Ra Khahad Bord in Persan) of Abbas Kiarostami was the first film made partly to Kurdistan and presented in international festivals of film (Mostra of Venice and Cannes festival).

The Kurdish cinema found the celebrity with the international level in 2000, mainly after the presence of two films of Kurdistan and in Kurdish language presented simultaneously to Cannes, the black board ( Takhte Siah ) of Samira Makhmalbaf and a time for the intoxication of the horses ( Zamani baraye Masti Asb-ha ) of Bahman Ghobadi. These films were the first in Kurdish language in the history of the Kurdish cinema.

In 2002 Songs of the country of my mother , another film of Bahman Ghobadi in Kurdish/Persan was presented to the Cannes festival. The film gained many prices in other international festivals.

In 2005, the Iranian realizer Jamil Rostami gained Simorgh of the Festival of the Film Fajr rewarding the best realizer for Asia and of the Middle East for its Kurdish film Requiem for snow .

Cartoon films

Babak and friends

Morteza Momayez
Vahid Nasirian
Marjane Satrapi

Documentary films

Cinema of court and first documentary

Before 1914, the majority of documentary Iranian are ordered and looked by the reigning family, the Qajar, and the upper classeses of the company. These documentary, which was not preserved, was apparently technically primitive: images of topicality and spectacles. Information on the documentary ones of this time is very few. The first documentary ones turned by Akkas Bashi, the photographer as a chief of the royal court, relate on religious processions or the lions of the zoo of Farahābād to Teheran. These films, as well as film assemblies of Russian or French current events are submitted by Akkas Bashi to the court at the time of festive occasions like the births, the circumcisions or the marriages. Akkas Bashi thus created the shape of cinema deprived in Iran.

The documentary ones projected as a public after the opening of the first Iranian cinema into 1904 are for the majority of imported films of France and Russia. After the First World War, the productions of documentary by Iranian experience a new development with films made by Khan Baba Mo' tazedi, which documents the political situation of the time, between fall of Qajar and advent of Reza Pahlavi: Reza Shāh dar Majles-e Mo' assesān (“Reza Shah with the constitutional Parliament”) in 1925; Tājgozari-e Reza Shāh dar Kākh-e Golestān (“Crowning of Reza Shah to the Palate of Golestan”) and Eftetāh-e Majles-e Surāh-ye Melli in 1926; Eftetāh-e rāh-e āhan-e shomāl and Eftetāh-e Bānk-e Melli-e Irān in 1927; Marāsem-e asb davānihā-ye Tehrān in 1936 and Eftetāh-e Rādio Tehrān in 1940. It is mainly with the efforts of Mo' tazedi that the public of documentary Iranian passes from the royal court to the public cinemas. However, the documentary ones turned at that time do not have yet as a subject of the ordinary characters but remain under the patronage of the State. The local documentary cinema does not develop by bus the local market of documentary little is developed and encouraged: the rights of importation are very high, the social pressure against the cinema is strong and the population, still mainly illiterate, cannot reach subtitling into Persan of foreign films. The weak audience forces to the producers the documentary ones to seek of the assistance at the State, which, in return directs the choice of the subjects of the realizers, which discourages certain spectators.

The second world war and its effects on Iranian documentary films

During the years 1940, few documentary films are turned to Iran. Some films can nevertheless be distinguished, like a film on the ski turned in 1945 by Ebrahim Mo' tamedi or those of Abdul Qasem Rezā' I: Manāzer-e Tehrān (“Seen of Teheran”, 1947), Qosur-e Saltanati (“Royal palaces”, 1947) and Qesmat-i az zendegāni-e khosusi-e Shāhanshāh goes 'Olya Hazrat Maleka (“Scenes of the private life of the King of the Kings and its majesty the queen”, 1947).

Towards the end of 1940 created a new organization dedicated to the production of documentary, Estudio Artesh (“Studio of the armed forces”). Under the direction of the Golsorkhi Captain and lieutenant Khaliqi, propaganda films are carried out. Several are projected in public cinemas like the transfer of the body of Reza Shah of Egypt in Iran or the arrival of Mohammad Reza Shah with Tabriz after the fall of the popular Gouvernement of Azerbaïdjan in 1946.

Besides these some films produced by Iranian, the majority of documentary of this period are the documentary ones of topicality in connection with the war produced abroad. The documentary British and German are most widespread at that time, insofar as the allies and the forces of the Axis document their activity of war. The documentary ones of German origin were projected until the invasion of the country by the allies in 1941; the fact that these documentary contains passages filmed in Iran and Persan them made popular near a good part of the spectators.

As from 1954 a new period in the history of documentary Iranian starts, a phase which reflects the political conditions of the time. Indeed, on July 8th, 1954, a new product is launched to Iran, after the fall of interest for the documentary ones which follows the war. This new product is Akhbar-e Irān (“New of Iran”), of the documentary weekly magazines produced by the USIA ( United States Information Agency ) into Persan and whose certain scenes are turned to Iran. The service of information of the United States ( United States Information Service ), via the USIA, its branch in Iran, provides free the documentary ones to the Iranian cinemas, which are projected with villagers and children by its own mobile unit cinemas. 402 installations will have been installation between 1954 and 1964 (year during which this service stops). The subjects covered by these documentary are in connection with the projects financed by American in Iran at that time, within the framework of a program of economic aid and technique known under the name of “Item Four” ( asl-e chāhār ). The production of documentary is then supervised by an American officer, and Iranian undertakes the assembly especially, which makes it possible to the Iranian technicians to acquire experiment. From 1920, the number of rooms starts to increase, at the same time in Teheran and in province.

After the crowning of Reza Shah in 1926, the social conditions and policies do not support the growth of cinema industry in Iran. The monks try to impose their preserving views and a social pressure is exerted against film projection as a public.

Cinema industry Iranian is not very active until 1945, and the majority of projected films are foreign films. In 1941, out of 250 films projected in Iran, 60% are American films, 20% of German films, 5% of French films and 5% of films originating in the USSR. In 1950, the figures show an acceleration of Iranian cinema industry. There exist 80 rooms in Iran, including 20 with open sky. The total annual audience is of approximately 9 million spectators, for a population of almost 17 million inhabitants. For this same year 1950,450 films are projected, originating to 85% in the United States, the remainder being divided between Great Britain, Egypt, France, Italy, India, the USSR and Iran. Between 1950 and 1955, fifty-eight films are produced in Iran. In 1958, there exist twenty-two companies producing of films of fiction for average budgets of five million rials by film. The number of feature-length films of fiction produced annually in Iran passes from twenty-five in 1959 to fifty-five in 1966 then 80 in 1971 and drops with sixty and one in 1976. The number of producers triples between 1950 and 1970, passing from twenty-two at sixty-seven Sept. the production costs of films increases for the period 1966-1976, whereas the Iranian economy is inflationary. The number of cinemas in the country increased also much after the second world war: from 142 in 1959 to 453 in 1975 (including more than one hundred with Teheran). In 1974,473 films are projected in Iran, including 30% of American origin, 13% originating in Iran, 12% of Hong-Kong, the remainder being distributed with less than 10% of market shares each one between France, India, Great Britain, Japan, Turkey and the USSR.

This first business success tries other Iranian contractors, and other studios of doubling are born with Teheran.

An industry of the film which survives the Islamization of the economy

During the two years which precede the revolution by 1979, approximately 250 cinemas are burned or closed. The number of cinemas in Iran passes from 453 in 1975 to 198 in 1979. From February 1979, they are the films coming from the socialist countries which dominate the Iranian screens, for political reasons and economic (these films are less expensive). The censure and the conditions in the years which follow the revolution are very constraining for cinema industry in Iran. Between 1978 and 1980, the cinematographic exploitation tries to continue its activity, mainly with imported films before those is not severely censured. From 1982 and the creation of the minstère of the Culture and Islamic Orientation, the State testifies to a will to preserve a national production of cinema, by leading a public policy aiming at creating a national kind, a cinema “ pure and removed of all vulgarity and any bond in the occident”. In 1983, the Fondation Farabi ( Bonyād-e sinemā' IE Fārābi ) is in charge of the importation of foreign films and the production and the export of Iranian films. The Foundation of disinherited the ( Bonyād-e Mostaz' so , previously called Pahlavi Foundation), recovers the management of 137 rooms in the country.

During the first years of the revolution, certain cinemas are separate into two to accommodate on a side the men alone and other the men accompanied by their family.

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color: D width: 20 align: left bar: 1995 from: 0 till: 62 bar: 1996 from: 0 till: 63 bar: 1997 from: 0 till: 54 bar: 1998 from: 0 till: 54 bar: 1999 from: 0 till: 54 bar: 2000 from: 0 till: 60 bar: 2001 from: 0 till: 87 bar: 2002 from: 0 till: 76 bar: 2003 from: 0 till: 82 bar: 2004 from: 0 till: 83

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bar: 1995 At: 62 fontsize: S text: 62 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1996 At: 63 fontsize: S text: 63 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1997 At: 54 fontsize: S text: 54 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1998 At: 54 fontsize: S text: 54 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 1999 At: 54 fontsize: S text: 54 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 2000 At: 60 fontsize: S text: 60 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 2001 At: 87 fontsize: S text: 87 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 2002 At: 76 fontsize: S text: 76 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 2003 At: 82 fontsize: S text: 82 shift: (- 10,5) bar: 2004 At: 83 fontsize: S text: 83 shift: (- 10,5)

Source: '' Tendances of the worldwide market of film. X-ray 2006 '', European Observatory of audio-visual, p. 56

Role of the State and public policy of the cinema

Institutions

Policy of support for the cinematographic die

Regulation

Criticism

Birth of criticism in the years 1960.

Censure in the Iranian cinema

Since its beginnings, the Iranian cinema was prone to the Censure, making it possible to answer the objectives governments, of the monks, various occupational classes or distributers. The first form of censure takes place as of the beginning of the year 1900, when the distributers require of the interpreters who read the subtitles of foreign films into Persan to modify certain passages.

Censure at the time Pahlavi

The first official censure goes back to 1930. An ordinance of the town of Teheran imposes indeed as from this year that a civil servant of the city sees films before they are projected with the public.

The films aimed by the censure at the time of the Shah are those which present a political point of view of the Pahlavi mode or which treat social taboos, like adultery. Z , of Costa-Gavras is banished Iranian cinemas for its political side. For the Professionals , of Richard Brooks, the censure consists in modifying the dialogs during doubling into Persan to transform an inaccurate woman into mistress. The other object of the attention of the Iranian critics of the Pahlavi time is the criticism which can be made with the civil and military administrations in Iranian or foreign films. Sometimes, the films are modified by the Iranian distributers before even being submitted to the commission of the censure. This text specifies what is the Islamic spirit, specifies the vestimentary codes, of make-up or acceptable haircuts. The most difficult point for the realizers is that the relations between men and women, represented in a private sphere with the screen, must also satisfy the Islamic standards applicable to public space. The subjects of films are also subjected to the censure: adultery, the seduction, the sexual relationships out-marriage cannot be treated with the screen, unless is not to condemn these practices.

The prohibition of certain topics to the screen is found in many countries during the history of the cinema. According to Agnes Devictor, the Iranian code of censure recalls even by certain aspects the old Hays code of the United States. It appears however that the regulation of the Iranian censure strongly modified “the way of doing and to see films.”

The censure and the interdicts strongly influenced the structure of films produced since the beginnings of the Islamic Republic. The structure of film, framings, the assemblies, the colors, etc are subject to the influence of the “raising the moral standard” of the cinema. All prohibitions concerning the image of the women to the screen resulted in emphasizing young girls, by deferring on them the image of the woman. The assembly is him also concerned with the raising the moral standard of the cinema, and obliges the realizers to find stratagems to represent certain situations with the screen.

The respect of Islamic morals causes certain inconsistencies in films, like the port of the scarf in private space. Certain realizers try to limit these inconsistencies, but others do not pay attention there. One can thus see in certain films of the women sleeping with their scarf.

Cinema in exile

Scenario writers in exile

Documentary

Implication of the women

According to the rise to power of the Iranian New wave , there are levels records of graduates of schools of cinema in Iran, and each year, more than 20 realizers make their first films, the majority being women. In the two last déceniies, there was a greater percentage of women directors in Iran than in the majority of the Western countries. The success and the hard work of the pionnière Rakhshan Outlaw-Etemad are an example that many directors in Iran followed before Samira Makhmalbaf does the one of the newspapers. The personalities recognized internationally in the Iranian female cinema are: Tahmineh Milani, Rakhshan Outlaw-Etemad, Zahra Dowlatabadi, Niki Karimi, Samira Makhmalbaf, Mahin Oskouei, Hana Makhmalbaf, Pouran Rakhshandeh, Sepideh Farsi, Maryam Keshavarz, Yassamin Maleknasr and Sara Rastegar.

The scenario writer and Iranian director Rakhshan Outlaw-Etemad are probably the most known director and most prolific in Iran. Rakhshan Bani Etemad positioned like the senior of the Iranian cinema with the documentary ones and films treating of social pathologies. One of the most known directors in the country today is Samira Makhmalbaf, which carried out its first film the apple at the 17 years age. Samira Makhmalbaf gained the price of the jury of the Cannes festival for its film the black board , in connection with the tests of two itinerant teachers to the Kordestan.

In addition to the women implied in the writing of scenarios and the realization, there exist many actresses whose single styles and the talents attracted criticisms. The Iranian actresses most remarkable are Mahaia Petrosian, Shokouh Mahde-Olia, Leila Hatami (Price of the best actress, Festival of film of Locarno and world festival of film of Montreal (2002)), Taraneh Allidousti (Better actress, Festival of film of Locarno, August 2002), Pegah Ahangarani (Better actress, 23rd festival of Cairo), Azita Hajian (crystal Simorgh of the best actress, 17th festival of the Fajr film) and Shohreh Aghdashloo.

Outlines

American Iranian cinema

I amndt addicted to Sex
Daybreak
The Keeper

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Appendices

Catalog of films

In this catalog of films all the films quoted in the article appear, by chronological order of realization. (D) indicates a documentary film and (F) a film of fiction indicates.

Reza Shāh dar Majles-e Mo' assesān (“Reza Shah with the constitutional Parliament”), Khan Baba Mo' tazedi, 1925 (D)
Tājgozari-e Reza Shāh dar Kākh-e Golestān (“Crowning of Reza Shah to the Palate of Golestan”), Khan Baba Mo' tazedi, 1926 (D)
Eftetāh-e Majles-e Surāh-ye Melli , Khan Baba Mo' tazedi, 1926 (D)
Eftetāh-e rāh-e āhan-e shomāl , Khan Baba Mo' tazedi, 1927 (D)
Eftetāh-e Bānk-e Melli-e Irān , Khan Baba Mo' tazedi, 1927 (D)
Ābi O rābi , realized by Avanes Ohaniān, 1931 (F)
Safar-e ra' is Al-wozarā , unknown, 1932 (D)

Dokhtar-e Lor , written by Abdolhossein Sepanta, realized by Ardeshir Irani, 1932 (F)

Hadji Aqā , Aktor-e sinemā, carried out by Avanes Ohaniān, 1934 (F)

Drunk' L Havas , realized by Ebrahim Moradi, 1934 (F)

Ferdowsi , Abdolhossein Sepanta, 1935 (F)

Marāsem-e asb davānihā-ye Tehrān , Khan Baba Mo' tazedi, 1936 (D)

Shirin-o Farhād , Abdolhossein Sepanta, 1935 (F)

Tcheshm-e Siyāh , Abdolhossein Sepanta, 1935 (F)

Leili-o Majnoun , Abdolhossein Sepanta, 1937 (F)

Eftetāh-e Rādio Tehrān , Khan Baba Mo' tazedi, 1940 (D)

Tufān-e Zendegi , realized by `Ali Daryābigi, produced by Esmail Kushan, 1947 (F)

Manāzer-e Tehrān (“Seen of Teheran”), Abdul Qasem Rezā' I, 1947 (D)

Qosur-e Saltanati (“Royal palaces”, Abdul Qasem Rezā' I, 1947 (D)

Qesmat-i az zendegāni-e khosusi-e Shāhanshāh goes 'Olya Hazrat Maleka (“Scenes of the private life of the King of the Kings and his majesty the queen”, Abdul Qasem Rezā' I, 1947 (D)

Sharmsār , realized by Esmail Koushan, 1950 (F)

Sharmsār , realized by Esmail Koushan, 1952 (F)

Velgard (“the vagrant”), realized by Mehdi Ra' is Firouz, 1952 (F)

Āqā Mohammad Khān , realized by Nosrat-Allat Mohtasham, 1952 (F)

Qiām-e Pishevari , 1954 (F)

Chāhār rāh-e havādet , 1954 (F)

Amir Arsalān-e nāmdār , 1955 (F)

Hifdah ruz Be e' dām (“Seventeen days until the execution”), realized by Houshang Kavoushi in 1956 (F)

Bolbol-e mazra' has , 1957 (F)

Shab-neshini dar jahanam , 1957 (F)

Tufān dar shahr-e mā , 1958 (F)

Cheshm Be rāh , 1958 (F)

Lāt-e Javānmard (“a chivalrous hooligan”), 1958 (F)

Jonub-e Shahr , realized by Farrokh Ghaffari, 1958 (F)

Khāneh siyāh ast (“the house black”, is carried out by Furough Farrokhzad, 1962 (D)

Shab-e Quzi (“the night of uneven”), 1963 (F)

Ganj-e Qarun , 1965 (F)

Kesht goes Ayneh (“the brick and the mirror”), Ebrahim Golestan, 1965 (F)

Siāvash dar Takht-e Jamshid (“Siavash with Persépolis”), realized by Fereydoun Rāhnemā, 1967 (F)

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