Iran is suffering one of the darkest cultural periods in its history. The old fruitful tree that once survived the coldest seasons is slowly withering away, her roots invaded by internal and external diseases. Our national identity is invaded by cultural agents of Arabs making us alien to ourselves as a nation.
But there are always Iranians who endure such difficulties to remind us of who we are and to connect us to our roots and make us proud to be a nation thathas influenced world culture throughout history. Many organizations, institutions, academics, historians, linguists, writers, artists, sponsors and several unknowns help in this cause. Iran: the Forgotten Glory is a very well-crafted and innovative documentary film which serves this purpose. as well. With this film director Makan Karandish, begins a challenge on behalf of all Iranians: to narrate the history of Iran before and after the Arab invasion in a very original, artful way deserving accolades.
This documentary has been selected this year from over 700 hundred films and will premier at the Bogota Film Festival in October 2009. Hopefully soon it will be produced in Farsi, English and Spanish versions around the world. For more information about this project and how you can be a part of it, visit http://www.farsmovie.com.
Interview with Director Makan Karandish:
Amir Fetanet: Mr. Karandish Please tell us a little about yourself.
MK: Before emigrating to the United States, I lived in Shiraz until the age of 15. Once I finished high school I started studying Astrophysics but after a year or so I became interested in philosophy and changed my major. Later, I became curious about psychology and the art world so I began studying film in Cal State Long Beach. In 2001, I took a short trip to Iran and directed and produced a semi-documentary, semi-narrative film called Don’t Dance with Fire, which depicts the life of a traditional baker whose work is replaced by the breadmaking machine. The movie premiered in the Miami Film Festival in 2002 and won the Jury Prize Award. After that, I directed a few short films called Black and White, Color, Edge of Perception and Entropy until I began to undertake this great cultural project Iran: The Forgotten Glory.
AF: How did you decide to make this film?
MK: I was always interested in history. After I graduated from college I took a trip to Iran. Revisiting the ruins of Persepolis reminded me of the once glorious ancient Persian Empire and made me feel proud of my history. I thought, How is it possible that a land which was once the center of civilization is today looked upon by many Westerners and even our own young generation as a backward and primitive nation. This chain reaction of thoughts led to my decision to undertake this project.
AF: Tell us about the making of the film and why it took so long?
MK: The making of this film had several dimensions for me. I had to become familiar with the history of the Fars province which required an enormous amount of research and consultation with historians. Creating a budget, pre-planning, cinematography and other pre-production details were slow and time consuming. Moreover, since my goal was to produce a film with the highest resolution and one that would be able to communicate with the Western audience, I had to get a lot of film equipment from the United States. I then had to travel to Iran three times. We had to rely mostly on our own means to make this film and to translate it to different languages. It inevitably took more than five years.
AF: In what phase is the film currently and includes what parts?
MK: This film includes four episodes which are around one hour long each. The first episode deals with the emergence of civilization in the Iranian plateau and the rise and fall of the Achanemind Empire. The second episode depicts the rise and fall of the Sassanid Empire and the third and fourth episodes belong to the post-Islamic era of Iran in the Province of Fars. Currenly, the first part of the film is complete and has been selected by the Bogota Film Festival.
AF: With whom have you consulted in relation to this film?
MK: Of the existing credible historical sources, I'd like to especially mention the works of the late Dr. Ali Sami; several historical academics in Iran and the U.S., such as Dr. Mostafa Nadim from the University of Shiraz and Dr. Touraj Daryaee from UC Irvine as well as others whose opinions and views have been depicted in the film.
AF: In which locations did you film?
MK: We shot over 60 locations which included Pasargadae, Persepolis, Naqsh-i-Rostam (Valley of the Kings) and ruins in Firoozabad such as Ghale Dokhtar, Palace of Ardeshir Babakan, Ruins of Bishapur such as Temple of Anahita, Palace of Shapur, Cave of Shapur, Reliefs of Tang-e-chugan and ruins in Darab such as Stone Mosque, and relief of Shapur and other remains which belong to the post-Islamic section of the film.
AF: What is the main focus of the film?
MK: My main goal was to narrate the history and culture of Iran within the context of these ancient ruins and locations, rather than just depicting the locations themselves. I believe that these locations only become significant and interesting once you know the stories behind them and the historical context in which they were created.
AF: Did you encounter any problems?
MK: Because we needed to get permission from the Cultural Heritage Organization in Fars, inevitably we had to deal with bureaucratic problems and our work was delayed for a few months. Due to the remoteness and lack of sufficient
accommodations in many of these locations, we were forced to take many trips to complete the cinematography. We were also forced to hire some crew members from Esfahan and Tehran for the filming and that posed it’s own difficulties. And needless to say, finding funding for the film has been a struggle.
AF: Were you supported by any institutions?
MK: My goal from the beginning was to produce an objective and independent film without associating it with any institution, individual or ideology. I have relied solely on my own inner motivation and personal financial means and have come this far. However, we do need the support of our friends and supporters to complete the second part of the film which is in the post-production phase.
AF: How can people learn more about the film and support the project?
MK: We have established a website for the film at http://www.farsmovie.com where people can get more information.
AF: What is your purpose in making of this film?
MK: My primary motive in making of this project is to promote and familiarize the world and the young Iranian generation to our culture and heritage, while presenting an accurate view of our nation, at a time when both internal and external forces attempt to undermine us and our national identity. This for me, and I believe for every Iranian, is a critical task to accomplish.
