'IFFI' SPECIAL

SENSIBLE IRANIAN FILMMAKER MAJID MAJIDI!

- Manoj Kulkarni

 

When heard renowned Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi's new (made in India) 'Beyond The Clouds' will be the inaugural film of this '48th International Film Festival of India' at Goa..I remembered watching his films in our film festivals..especially in 'IFFI' at New Delhi in 2000 first time saw his film 'The Color of Paradise' which touched the hearts!

Majid Majidi directing with camera!

Majid Majidi started acting on stage at his teenage and studied acting in the 'Institute of Dramatic Arts' at Tehran! After the 'Iranian Revolution' in 1979 he entered in acting & making films. First he made documentary & short films like 'Explosion' (1981) & 'Hoodaj' (1984). Then he also acted in films like 'Boycott' (1985) made by renowned Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf!  

Bahare Seddiqi & Amir Farrokh in 'Children of Heaven' (1997).

When he started making feature films he mostly focused on the life of children & teenagers. His directorial debut 'Baduk' (1992) took the issue of child slavery. Then 'Pedar' (1996) was on how teenage boy refuses step father!..And came his famous 'Children of Heaven' (1997) which shows emotions of children for their parents through an adventure of small brother & sister. This film was nominated for 'Oscar's Best Foreign Language Film'!

'Rang-e-Khoda' ('The Colour of Paradise'/1999).

In 1999 his more touchy film with most sensitive issue..'Rang-e-Khoda' ('The Colour of Paradise') came..which I saw in 'IFFI'! This revolves around a blind boy and his shamed father who thinks his son a burden..and what he does is tragedy! Climax was heavy to receive..I still remember the reactions of our filmmakers like Aparna Sen who could not even leave the seat after watching this film in the 'Siri Fort' auditorium, Delhi!

Zahra Bahrami in 'Baran' (2001).

Then his 'Baran' (2001) was like our romantic Indian movie! Actually film's focus was on Afghan refugees in Iran; but Majidi wrote romantic script for it..in which he handled teenage love story on the backdrop of that social issue. In this there were less dialogues and more focus was on characters movements & faces..Hossein Abedini & Zahra Bahrami portrayed their characters nicely in it! This film won various awards like Best Film & Director in '19th Fajr International Film Festival' and 'Grand Prix' in 'Montreal World Film Festival'!..And this film released in our India like popular bollywood movie!

'The Willow Tree' (2005).

After this he handled human issues in different conditions of life. In 'The Willow Tree' (2005) he showed the changing life of blind man after regain his vision. And his 'The Song of Sparrows' (2008) focused the struggle for employment! This critically acclaimed film also won international awards like..Reza Naji won Best Actor Silver Bear in 'Berlin International Film Festival'! Meanwhile he made important documentaries like 'Peace, Love and Friendship' (2007) which itself says the philosophical content in it!

Reza Naji in 'The Song of Sparrows' (2008).

Majidi's new (made in India) film 'Beyond the Clouds'!

Now he showed his recent film 'Beyond the Clouds' in this '48th IFFI'. This is like his debut in our Indian cinema! He wrote & directed this film which is on love & human relationship. Indian artists Ishaan Khatter & Malavika Mohanan are in the lead and A. R. Rahman composed the music for this film..which is in three languages English, Tamil & Hindi!

I remembered meeting him in our film festival!
Best wishes Mr. Majidi!!

- Manoj Kulkarni
['Chitrasrushti', Pune, India]