Those films coming out of Tagespolitik Thirld World regions already have a branded identity, Iranian cinema in particular adhering to universal themes, bypassing local limitations via different symbolic characters eg for a while it was children and the publicity of those films is already given on a plate.

A lot of diaspora, tries to use more accessible technologies, but relies
heavily on the most idiotic of all types of Tagespolitik social engineering branding, that of multicultural efffnicity and gender, which for obvious reasons is very limited, repetitive and stereotypical to watch, whatever the new creative tricks.

But then there are a few gems.

Point2 : satisfaction of distant, exotic altruism

a bit like the feel-good-factor of supporting Costa Rican farmers by buying only some promised utopian packaging.

Next point: distribution (eg see Sony…)

Next point: laws of equity….loads more points…

Thanks for the article, radius-sending-me-around-your-tail

Now there are plenty of Iranian movies who have won foreign awards in countries other than America, but there are only a handful of either Iranian movies or of Iranian heritage that have been nominated for an Oscar.

You mention Persepolis, which was nominated for an Oscar but because it was an animation, it was nominated in the animated movie category. Now in that year the competition was Ratatoulie which was a masterful animation and really no match for Persepolis. Chalk that one up for bad luck for Persepolis for being nominated in the same year. If it was any other year, there would’ve been more chances. Don’t forget Persepolis won numerous awards other than Oscar.

Then you have Children of Heaven which was again nominated for an Oscar but it lost to Life Is Beautiful which won 3 Oscars for, best foreign film, best actor AND most importantly Best Picture of the Year. So again challk that one for bad luck for being nominated in the same category as a heavy weight. Children of Heaven didn’t have any political braveness or background.

You also mentioned Offside. Well one of the requirements for a film to be nominated for an Oscar is that the film to be shown at least one week on screen in a movie theatre in the country where that film was made. Offside didn’t get a permit to be shown and only a DVD release despite the campaign to allow authorities to show it only one week.

About Elly was at best something like House of Sand and Fog where the movie itself wasn’t nominated for anything but had 3 nominations for best actor, actress and musical score. About Elly was nowhere near as worthy.

So in conclusion I do not agree with the premise of your article. I have seen arguments like yours where they say why Separation and not all these other movies? Well because for one thing Separation was better! Just because you think there are better movies doesn’t make it so! Other movies haven’t even won any foreign awards much less an Oscar.

Separation has a universal message that many can relate to and it is the sign of our time, internationally. It is also well written, well played and well made.

Not everything that is made and is good is worthy of an award. See at least a dozen foreign films who have won an Oscar and then you’ll find out why they’ve won and why other Iranian movies have not made it.

Everything is sacred

I had a look at the program of the Berlinale Festival that starts tomorrow. This years focus went completely onto the “Arabellion” countries, many movies from Egypt, Lebanon, and onto russian/soviet cinematography.

In the “Young Talents” section there is a 10min short-movie “A little suicide” by Ana Lily Amirpour (http://www.berlinale-talentcampus.de/story/94/3594…) She is obviously of Iranian descendent from the LA based emigrants community.

Darius, in case you want to come to Berlin and do an interview with her: I assume she will be there to present her film on 15th and 17th of February.

greetings Radius

Good read and intelligent overview of the current productions both inside and outside Iran and the way they are percieved by either being over estimated or under valued.

Thanks for sharing !

Unfortunately with regards to different art forms in Iran, it is the worst with movies. A poet in Iran can write his/her poetry since no license is required. Even though there is threat of censorship and in cases, there are consequences to writing the wrong poem, article or story but unlike a movie, not every step of the creative process (or at least many steps of it) has to happen under IRI eyes.