In “The Siren” (2023), shown in the Berlinale's Panorama section, the director, Sepideh Farsi, shows the violence of 1980's Iran-Iraq war through the perspective of 14-year old Omid. Farsi repurposes the coming-of-age and adventure movie conventions, and juxtaposes them with the grim context of the conflict. The effect is as haunting, as it is surprisingly endearing.
Sirens is screening at Berlinale
This is the first animated film in Farsi's career which spanned from feature-length fiction to documentary works, predominantly focusing on contemporary Iran. With a story inspired by the director's families' experiences, screenplay penned by Javad Djavahery and animation overseen by Zaven Najjar, “The Siren” starts in the pre-lapsarian Abadan, a major Iranian city which will be soon pummelled by Sadam Husein's Iraqi forces. In the opening scene, boys play football. The game, however, is interrupted by a sudden missile strike. This triggers a rapid chain of events: Omid's older brother joins the army; whoever can,...
Sirens is screening at Berlinale
This is the first animated film in Farsi's career which spanned from feature-length fiction to documentary works, predominantly focusing on contemporary Iran. With a story inspired by the director's families' experiences, screenplay penned by Javad Djavahery and animation overseen by Zaven Najjar, “The Siren” starts in the pre-lapsarian Abadan, a major Iranian city which will be soon pummelled by Sadam Husein's Iraqi forces. In the opening scene, boys play football. The game, however, is interrupted by a sudden missile strike. This triggers a rapid chain of events: Omid's older brother joins the army; whoever can,...
- 3/9/2023
- by Olek Młyński
- AsianMoviePulse
When the Iran-Iraq war broke out in 1980, director Sepideh Farsi was a high school student in Iran. At age 16, she was incarcerated for being an anti-Islamic Republic activist. Farsi stayed in her country until 1984 and then moved to France, where she experienced the second half of the conflict.
In her first animated feature, “The Siren” — which opens Berlin’s Panorama section — the Paris-based director revisits this war through the story of a 14-year-old boy named Omid, who decides to brave the Iraqi siege of Abadan, the capital of the Iranian oil industry. After opting to stay in the city with his grandfather and a bunch of other diehards, Omid and the others take over an abandoned boat he finds in Abadan’s port, which becomes their ark.
Farsi spoke to Variety about her wish to come to terms with her country’s past with “The Siren” and her hope for Iran’s future.
In her first animated feature, “The Siren” — which opens Berlin’s Panorama section — the Paris-based director revisits this war through the story of a 14-year-old boy named Omid, who decides to brave the Iraqi siege of Abadan, the capital of the Iranian oil industry. After opting to stay in the city with his grandfather and a bunch of other diehards, Omid and the others take over an abandoned boat he finds in Abadan’s port, which becomes their ark.
Farsi spoke to Variety about her wish to come to terms with her country’s past with “The Siren” and her hope for Iran’s future.
- 2/16/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Neil Armfield.s Holding the Man, Simon Stone.s The Daughter, Jeremy Sims. Last Cab to Darwin and Jen Peedom.s feature doc Sherpa will have their world premieres at the Sydney Film Festival.
The festival program unveiled today includes 33 world premieres (including 22 shorts) and 135 Australian premieres (with 18 shorts) among 251 titles from 68 countries.
Among the other premieres will be Daina Reid.s The Secret River, Ruby Entertainment's. ABC-tv miniseries starring Oliver Jackson Cohen and Sarah Snook, and three Oz docs, Marc Eberle.s The Cambodian Space Project — Not Easy Rock .n. Roll, Steve Thomas. Freedom Stories and Lisa Nicol.s Wide Open Sky.
Festival director Nashen Moodley boasted. this year.s event will be far larger than 2014's when 183 films from 47 countries were screened, including 15 world premieres. The expansion is possible in part due to the addition of two new screening venues in Newtown and Liverpool.
As previously announced, Brendan Cowell...
The festival program unveiled today includes 33 world premieres (including 22 shorts) and 135 Australian premieres (with 18 shorts) among 251 titles from 68 countries.
Among the other premieres will be Daina Reid.s The Secret River, Ruby Entertainment's. ABC-tv miniseries starring Oliver Jackson Cohen and Sarah Snook, and three Oz docs, Marc Eberle.s The Cambodian Space Project — Not Easy Rock .n. Roll, Steve Thomas. Freedom Stories and Lisa Nicol.s Wide Open Sky.
Festival director Nashen Moodley boasted. this year.s event will be far larger than 2014's when 183 films from 47 countries were screened, including 15 world premieres. The expansion is possible in part due to the addition of two new screening venues in Newtown and Liverpool.
As previously announced, Brendan Cowell...
- 5/6/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
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