Shirin (film)
Encyclopedia
Shirin is a 2008 film directed by master Iranian filmmaker
Abbas Kiarostami
. The film is considered by some critics as a notable twist in the artistic career of Kiarostami.
Shirin is made from simple closeup shots of faces as they themselves watch a film. Everything is angled toward a specific end: all the people inspected closely are women, and the film they are watching is the 800-year-old Persian love story of Khosrow and Shirin, a semi-mythic Persian
romance
of female self-sacrifice. The film depicts the audience's emotional involvement with the story. The story is read between the tragic and kitsch by a cast of narrators led by Manoucher Esmaieli and is accompanied by a historical "film score" by Morteza Hananeh and Hossein Dehlavi.
The film's production is replete with curious anecdotes. According to some reports, the women were filmed individually in Kiarostami's living room, with the director asking them to cast their gaze at a mere series of dots above the camera. The director has also stated that, during the filming process, he had no idea what film they were watching, and settled on the Khosrow and Shirin myth only after shooting had concluded. The brief appearance of Juliette Binoche
in the film came as the result of her role in another Kiarostami project.
It was first screened at the 65th Venice International Film Festival
.
Cinema of Iran
The cinema of Iran is a flourishing film industry with a long history. Many popular commercial films are annually made in Iran, and Iranian art films win praise around the world....
Abbas Kiarostami
Abbas Kiarostami
Abbas Kiarostami is an internationally acclaimed Iranian film director, screenwriter, photographer and film producer. An active filmmaker since 1970, Kiarostami has been involved in over forty films, including shorts and documentaries...
. The film is considered by some critics as a notable twist in the artistic career of Kiarostami.
Shirin is made from simple closeup shots of faces as they themselves watch a film. Everything is angled toward a specific end: all the people inspected closely are women, and the film they are watching is the 800-year-old Persian love story of Khosrow and Shirin, a semi-mythic Persian
Persian literature
Persian literature spans two-and-a-half millennia, though much of the pre-Islamic material has been lost. Its sources have been within historical Persia including present-day Iran as well as regions of Central Asia where the Persian language has historically been the national language...
romance
Romance film
Romance films are love stories that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate involvement of the main characters and the journey that their love takes through courtship or marriage. Romance films make the love story or the search for love the main plot focus...
of female self-sacrifice. The film depicts the audience's emotional involvement with the story. The story is read between the tragic and kitsch by a cast of narrators led by Manoucher Esmaieli and is accompanied by a historical "film score" by Morteza Hananeh and Hossein Dehlavi.
The film's production is replete with curious anecdotes. According to some reports, the women were filmed individually in Kiarostami's living room, with the director asking them to cast their gaze at a mere series of dots above the camera. The director has also stated that, during the filming process, he had no idea what film they were watching, and settled on the Khosrow and Shirin myth only after shooting had concluded. The brief appearance of Juliette Binoche
Juliette Binoche
Juliette Binoche is a French actress, artist and dancer. She has appeared in more than 40 feature films, been recipient of numerous international accolades, is a published author and has appeared on stage across the world. Coming from an artistic background, she began taking acting lessons during...
in the film came as the result of her role in another Kiarostami project.
It was first screened at the 65th Venice International Film Festival
65th Venice International Film Festival
The 65th Venice International Film Festival, held in Venice, Italy, was opened on August 27, 2008 by Burn After Reading, and closed on September 6, 2008....
.
Cast
- Mahnaz AfsharMahnaz AfsharMahnaz Afshar was born in Tehran on 21st of Khordad year 1356 .She got her high school degree in natural science course. After graduation of high school one of her relatives who was the theater affairs assistant ion Soureh college introduced her to Hannaneh Art institute.She studied video edition...
- Pegah AhangaraniPegah AhangaraniPegah Ahangarani is an Iranian actress. She is the daughter of actress and director Manijeh Hekmat and movie director Jamshid Ahangarani. She has acted in 11 Iranian feature films since 2001 and made at least one documentary.- Filmography:...
- Taraneh AlidoostiTaraneh AlidoostiTaraneh Alidoosti is a Crystal-Simorgh winning Iranian actress. In a poll conducted among hundred and thirty film critics by Sanate Cinema magazine she was voted the best Iranian actress of the decade.-Career:...
- Juliette BinocheJuliette BinocheJuliette Binoche is a French actress, artist and dancer. She has appeared in more than 40 feature films, been recipient of numerous international accolades, is a published author and has appeared on stage across the world. Coming from an artistic background, she began taking acting lessons during...
- Golshifteh FarahaniGolshifteh FarahaniGolshifteh Farahani is a Crystal-Simorgh winning Iranian actress and pianist.- Early life :Golshifteh Farahani was born on 10 July 1983 in Tehran, the daughter of actor/theater director Behzad Farahani and his spouse, Fahime Rahiminia and sister of actress Shaghayegh Farahani. She started studying...
- Leila HatamiLeila HatamiLeila Hatami is an award-winning Iranian actress. She is the daughter of director Ali Hatami and actress Zari Khoshkam, and is married to actor Ali Mosaffa.- Biography :...
- Niki KarimiNiki KarimiNiki Karimi , born 10 November 1971 in Tehran, is a multi-award–winning Iranian actress and movie director.- Biography :Niki Karimi was born and raised in Tehran. She participated in theatrical work while she was in elementary school. Her hobby of reading and watching movies from an early age...
- Niku Kheradmand
- Baran KosariBaran KosariBaran Kosari is a Crystal Simorgh winning Iranian actress. She is the daughter of director Rakhshan Bani Etemad, and film producer Jahangir Kosari.-Biography:...
- Fatemah Motamed-Aria
- Shabnam Moghaddamy
- Roya NonahaliRoya NonahaliRoyā Nonahāli , Actress, Born 1964, Tehran, Iran. Studied painting; worked in theatre since 1984 and started film acting with The Beloved Is at Home . Then she was selected by Mohsen Makhmalbaf for 'Marriage of the Blessed' and received the prize from Fajr Intl. Film Festival...
- Zhale Olov
- Mahaya Petrossian
- Roya Taymourian
- Hedye Tehrani
- Hamideh KheirabadiHamideh KheirabadiHamideh Kheirābādi was a celebrated Iranian film and theatre actress. She played in more than 200 feature films and in over 20 television series. Inside Iran, she is affectionately referred to as Nādereh and Mother of the Iranian Cinema...
- Soraya Ghasemi
- Fatemeh Gudarzi
- Mahtab Karamati
- Leili Rashidi
External links
- Iranian film "Shirin" a rewarding challenge (Reuters, 2008)