Rosta and Sohrab, Bijan and Manijeh, Zahak and KavehA scene from the Shahnameh — Quantuck Lane PressDirectly quoted from Wall Street Journal by Farnaz FassihiLong before HBO’s wildly popular “Game of Thrones” was created, Iranians turned to the national literary epic “Shahnameh” (“The Book of Kings”) for intriguing tales of knights, nobility and mystical creatures scattered across Seven Kingdoms controlled by a greater king.
Now fans of “Game of Thrones”, English readers and second generation Iranian-Americans can get a taste of these epic tales in a gorgeously illustrated new book called: Shahnameh: The Epic of the Persian Kings, published this month by Quantuck Lane Press.
The book was the brainchild of Iranian-American filmmaker and graphic designer Hamid Rahmanian and his American wife editorial director Melissa Hibbard. The Brooklyn-based team wanted to create an art project that transcended the political stereotypes associated with Iran these days.
“Everything about Iran is always politicized.
Now fans of “Game of Thrones”, English readers and second generation Iranian-Americans can get a taste of these epic tales in a gorgeously illustrated new book called: Shahnameh: The Epic of the Persian Kings, published this month by Quantuck Lane Press.
The book was the brainchild of Iranian-American filmmaker and graphic designer Hamid Rahmanian and his American wife editorial director Melissa Hibbard. The Brooklyn-based team wanted to create an art project that transcended the political stereotypes associated with Iran these days.
“Everything about Iran is always politicized.
- 5/30/2017
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
American film and television viewers will get the chance to observe life in another part of the world.
The documentary "The Glass House" premiered Monday night at 9 p.m. Et/Pt on the Sundance Channel. Directed by Hamid Rahmanian and produced by Melissa Hibbard, the film, which originally debuted at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, is a look at life in Iran through the eyes of four young women. With different ages and different issues among them, the 18 months of their lives captured on film reveal much about the difficulties faced by women in the Middle Eastern nation.
At 20, Sussan is the oldest of the movie's subjects. Suffering from family sexual abuse and a debilitating head injury, she has married frequently and is working on improving her education in search of a better life. Mitra, 16, must contend with an angry, abusive father who views her as being overweight and lazy, but...
The documentary "The Glass House" premiered Monday night at 9 p.m. Et/Pt on the Sundance Channel. Directed by Hamid Rahmanian and produced by Melissa Hibbard, the film, which originally debuted at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, is a look at life in Iran through the eyes of four young women. With different ages and different issues among them, the 18 months of their lives captured on film reveal much about the difficulties faced by women in the Middle Eastern nation.
At 20, Sussan is the oldest of the movie's subjects. Suffering from family sexual abuse and a debilitating head injury, she has married frequently and is working on improving her education in search of a better life. Mitra, 16, must contend with an angry, abusive father who views her as being overweight and lazy, but...
- 11/17/2009
- icelebz.com
Two new documentaries to be screened at the American Cinematheque: The Glass House (above) with director Hamid Rahmanian In Person Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at the Aero Theatre Banking of Heaven with writer-producer Laurie Allen In Person An Unflinching Look at the Controversial Latter-Day Saint Community Thursday, October 29, 2009 at the Egyptian Theatre The Glass House, which was screened at Sundance 2009, is "an intimate portrait of the never-before-seen plight of underclass Iranian women," while Banking of Heaven is " an unflinching look at a controversial Latter-Day Saints community" that is described as "home to a culture that routinely practices child rape, welfare fraud and systematic mind control." Wednesday, October 28 – 7:30 Pm at the Aero Theatre The Glass House, 2009, 92 min. [...]...
- 10/16/2009
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
James Cameron in Los Angeles with 70Mm prints of "Aliens" and "The Abyss"?!?! The Dardenne brothers in New York for a career retrospective?!?! The instant cult classic "The Room" with Tommy Wiseau live in Austin?!?! Be still my heart. There's something for all tastes this summer on the West Coast, the East Coast and as you'll notice, the Third Coast on our calendar of the must-see events on the repertory theater circuit in May, June and July. And don't miss our look at the indie films that are hitting theaters or headed to online, VOD or DVD premiere this summer.
Anthology Film Archives
With the New York Polish Film Festival (May 6-10) and first-runs of the docs "Ice People" (May 1-7) and "Audience of One" (May 8-14) and Ken Jacobs' reinvention of his 1969 work "Tom, Tom, The Piper's Son" with the 3D "Anaglyph Tom" (May 15-21) taking up the Anthology's screens,...
Anthology Film Archives
With the New York Polish Film Festival (May 6-10) and first-runs of the docs "Ice People" (May 1-7) and "Audience of One" (May 8-14) and Ken Jacobs' reinvention of his 1969 work "Tom, Tom, The Piper's Son" with the 3D "Anaglyph Tom" (May 15-21) taking up the Anthology's screens,...
- 5/5/2009
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
"The Glass House" review by Steve Ramos, Writer Its compelling female subjects make 'The Glass House' a crowd favorite The lively but troubled young residents of a Tehran women's day shelter along with its heroic director, Iranian expatriate Marjaneh Hakati, provide compelling stories and solid audience potential for "The Glass House," director Hamid Rahmanian's feature-length documentary about this inspiring community of women. Best described as a behind-the-scenes look, "The Glass House," premiering in the World Cinema Documentary competition at the Sundance Film Festival, follows a number of the shelter's patrons as they deal with the harsh challenges in their lives. Susan, 20, fights off abuse at the hands of her sigheh, or temporary husband. Mitra, 16, faces violent behavior from her father. Meanwhile, Nazila, 19, secretly records her Rap songs, a huge risk because it is against the law in Iran for women to sing publicly. Rahmanian, who previously directed...
- 1/30/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
"The Glass House" review by Steve Ramos, Writer Its compelling female subjects make 'The Glass House' a crowd favorite The lively but troubled young residents of a Tehran women's day shelter along with its heroic director, Iranian expatriate Marjaneh Hakati, provide compelling stories and solid audience potential for "The Glass House," director Hamid Rahmanian's feature-length documentary about this inspiring community of women. Best described as a behind-the-scenes look, "The G...
- 1/30/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
"The Glass House" review by Steve Ramos, Writer Its compelling female subjects make 'The Glass House' a crowd favorite The lively but troubled young residents of a Tehran women's day shelter along with its heroic director, Iranian expatriate Marjaneh Hakati, provide compelling stories and solid audience potential for "The Glass House," director Hamid Rahmanian's feature-length documentary about this inspiring community of women. Best described as a behind-the-scenes look, "The G...
- 1/30/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
I am heading out the door and have no time to really dig into this, but here is the line-up for next year's 2009 Sundance Film Festival as reported by Variety. Dramatic Competition Adam, directed and written by Max Mayer ("Better Living"), about a slightly dysfunctional man's attempt at a relationship with an alluring new neighbor. Stars Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher, Amy Irving, Frankie Faison. Amreeka, directed and written by Cherien Dabis, a drama examining the challenges faced by a divorced Palestinian woman and her teenage son upon moving to rural Illinois. With Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem. Arlen Faber, directed and written by John Hindman, about the intrusion of two strangers into the life of a famous reclusive author. With Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham, Lou Pucci, Olivia Thirlby, Kat Dennings. Big Fan, directed and written by Robert Siegel (writer of "The Wrestler"), which hinges on the reaction of a...
- 12/3/2008
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Oh I'm so excited! One of the best fests of the year! The 2009 Sundance Film Festival has unveiled the lineup for its U.S. and World competitions for dramatic and documentary features. The non-competitive sections including Premieres, Spectrum, Midnight, and New Frontiers will be announced December 4. Sundance unspools January 15-25, 2009 in Park City, Utah.
Check out the film list after the break. via Variety.
Dramatic Competition
* Adam (Max Mayer)
* Amreeka (Cherien Dabis)
* Big Fan (Robert Siegel)
* Brief Interviews With Hideous Men (John Krasinski)
* Cold Souls (Sophie Barthes)
* Dare (Adam Salky)
* Don’t Let Me Drown (Cruz Angeles)
* The Dream of the Romans (John Hindman)
* The Greatest (Shana Feste)
* Humpday (Lynn Shelton)
* Paper Heart (Nicolas Jasenovec)
* Peter and Vandy (Jay Dipietro)
* Push (Lee Daniels)
* Sin nombre (Cary Fukunaga)
* Taking Chance (Ross Katz)
* Toe to Toe (Emily Abt)
Documentary Competition
* Art and Copy (Doug Pray)
* Boy Interrupted (Dana Perry)
* Sergio (Greg Barker...
Check out the film list after the break. via Variety.
Dramatic Competition
* Adam (Max Mayer)
* Amreeka (Cherien Dabis)
* Big Fan (Robert Siegel)
* Brief Interviews With Hideous Men (John Krasinski)
* Cold Souls (Sophie Barthes)
* Dare (Adam Salky)
* Don’t Let Me Drown (Cruz Angeles)
* The Dream of the Romans (John Hindman)
* The Greatest (Shana Feste)
* Humpday (Lynn Shelton)
* Paper Heart (Nicolas Jasenovec)
* Peter and Vandy (Jay Dipietro)
* Push (Lee Daniels)
* Sin nombre (Cary Fukunaga)
* Taking Chance (Ross Katz)
* Toe to Toe (Emily Abt)
Documentary Competition
* Art and Copy (Doug Pray)
* Boy Interrupted (Dana Perry)
* Sergio (Greg Barker...
- 12/3/2008
- QuietEarth.us
There's nothing quite like the healing power of a good meal, as Hamid Rahmanian discovers firsthand in "Breaking Bread", his poetic, very personal documentary.
The film chronicles the evolution of an authentic Persian dinner that the Los Angeles-based, Iran-born filmmaker had intended to cook for his Asian-American friend's ailing father in New York.
But when the father dies two days before Rahmanian's arrival, the family decides that the meal should instead be prepared for a traditional Buddhist ceremony to be held at a Korean temple.
Between buying all the necessary ingredients, Rahmanian trains his camera on his friend, Ken, and Ken's mother. With the help of some archival footage, Ken and his mother tell the story of Ken's dad's trek from North Korea to America.
The result is a cross-cultural, spiritually nourishing examination of the universal themes of family and loss, captured with unblinking clarity by Rahmanian's omnipresent lens.
There are times, however, when the degree of commitment to his subjects could be taken for inappropriate invasiveness, particularly when it comes to Ken's widowed mother, who suffers the indignities of moving into a tiny seniors apartment and enduring the grieving process while a camera is constantly being shoved in her face.
Those probing close-ups should have been reserved exclusively for all the lovingly prepared food, which ultimately gives the film its most soulful sustenance.
BREAKING BREAD
Prometheus Cinema
Producer: Melissa Hibbard
Director-writer: Hamid Rahmanian
Photography: Sourena Mohammadi,
Ramtin Movahed, Pershang Vazeeri
Color/stereo
Running time - 57 minutes
No MPAA rating...
The film chronicles the evolution of an authentic Persian dinner that the Los Angeles-based, Iran-born filmmaker had intended to cook for his Asian-American friend's ailing father in New York.
But when the father dies two days before Rahmanian's arrival, the family decides that the meal should instead be prepared for a traditional Buddhist ceremony to be held at a Korean temple.
Between buying all the necessary ingredients, Rahmanian trains his camera on his friend, Ken, and Ken's mother. With the help of some archival footage, Ken and his mother tell the story of Ken's dad's trek from North Korea to America.
The result is a cross-cultural, spiritually nourishing examination of the universal themes of family and loss, captured with unblinking clarity by Rahmanian's omnipresent lens.
There are times, however, when the degree of commitment to his subjects could be taken for inappropriate invasiveness, particularly when it comes to Ken's widowed mother, who suffers the indignities of moving into a tiny seniors apartment and enduring the grieving process while a camera is constantly being shoved in her face.
Those probing close-ups should have been reserved exclusively for all the lovingly prepared food, which ultimately gives the film its most soulful sustenance.
BREAKING BREAD
Prometheus Cinema
Producer: Melissa Hibbard
Director-writer: Hamid Rahmanian
Photography: Sourena Mohammadi,
Ramtin Movahed, Pershang Vazeeri
Color/stereo
Running time - 57 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 7/20/2000
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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