Iranian producer Elaheh Nobakht, whose credits include “Dream’s Gate,” the doc depicting an all-female Kurdish militia that launched earlier this year from Berlin, has been banned by Iranian authorities from traveling outside the country.
Nobakht – who is a board member of the Iranian Producers Association (Ipa) and of the Iranian Documentary Producer Association (Aoidp) – was stopped by security guards in early August upon re-entering Iran from a film presentation in Portugal at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini airport. The guards confiscated her passport, laptop and mobile phone, according to a knowledgeable source. No reason has been given for this action.
Due to the travel ban Nobakht has been unable to travel from Iran to Armenia’s Apricot Tree Film Festival, where she had been selected to serve as a member of the jury, and to Spain’s San Sebastian fest. Nobakht, who is a fixture on the international film festival circuit,...
Nobakht – who is a board member of the Iranian Producers Association (Ipa) and of the Iranian Documentary Producer Association (Aoidp) – was stopped by security guards in early August upon re-entering Iran from a film presentation in Portugal at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini airport. The guards confiscated her passport, laptop and mobile phone, according to a knowledgeable source. No reason has been given for this action.
Due to the travel ban Nobakht has been unable to travel from Iran to Armenia’s Apricot Tree Film Festival, where she had been selected to serve as a member of the jury, and to Spain’s San Sebastian fest. Nobakht, who is a fixture on the international film festival circuit,...
- 10/6/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
The 57th edition of Karlovy Vary Intl. Film Festival, which runs June 30-July 8, has planned a retrospective program focused on Iranian cinema with a selection of films made in the past four years. The festival will also celebrate the work of Japanese filmmaker Yasuzo Masumura.
Commenting on the Iranian cinema program, the festival said in a statement: “Collectively these works offer an insightful testimony of the burning creativity of Iran’s artists in face of the challenging reality. Nine mostly young filmmakers – urgent, unheard voices – who palpably bear a spiritual connection to the previous generations of their country’s greats, tackle the current reality with a remarkable sensitivity and great inventiveness.
“Melancholic dramas, comedies, war movies, sci-fis…films about love, and films within films. Together, these nine unique and intensely personal testimonies form a multi-dimensional mosaic that reflect the collective spirit and openness of Iran’s young cinema of today.
Commenting on the Iranian cinema program, the festival said in a statement: “Collectively these works offer an insightful testimony of the burning creativity of Iran’s artists in face of the challenging reality. Nine mostly young filmmakers – urgent, unheard voices – who palpably bear a spiritual connection to the previous generations of their country’s greats, tackle the current reality with a remarkable sensitivity and great inventiveness.
“Melancholic dramas, comedies, war movies, sci-fis…films about love, and films within films. Together, these nine unique and intensely personal testimonies form a multi-dimensional mosaic that reflect the collective spirit and openness of Iran’s young cinema of today.
- 4/25/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
The wave of protests sparked across Iran by the death of Mahsa Amini by Iranian morality police in September came amid a banner year for Iranian cinema.
But as 2023 kicks off, more than 500 people who have protested her death and called for justice have been killed while prominent members of the Iranian film industry were either arrested, put on trial or banned from making movies. The result being that the country’s cinematic community has largely ground to a halt.
Which raises the question: unless something changes, how many films actually shot in Iran will be surfacing on the international festival circuit going forward?
In 2022, Iran-based directors landed slots in all major international film festivals and won major awards. Revered auteur Jafar Panahi took the Venice Special Jury Prize for “No Bears” and Houman Seyyedi’s tragicomedy “World War III,” which was Iran’s candidate for the international Oscar, scooped two statuettes on the Lido.
But as 2023 kicks off, more than 500 people who have protested her death and called for justice have been killed while prominent members of the Iranian film industry were either arrested, put on trial or banned from making movies. The result being that the country’s cinematic community has largely ground to a halt.
Which raises the question: unless something changes, how many films actually shot in Iran will be surfacing on the international festival circuit going forward?
In 2022, Iran-based directors landed slots in all major international film festivals and won major awards. Revered auteur Jafar Panahi took the Venice Special Jury Prize for “No Bears” and Houman Seyyedi’s tragicomedy “World War III,” which was Iran’s candidate for the international Oscar, scooped two statuettes on the Lido.
- 2/18/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Visit Films has picked up worldwide sales rights for Iranian director Negin Ahmadi’s documentary “Dream’s Gate,” which depicts an all-female Kurdish militia, ahead of its Berlin Film Festival world premiere.
To make “Dream’s Gate,” which will launch from Berlin’s Generation section for young audiences, Ahmadi traveled to the war zone of Northern Syria where she gained access to the lives of the women in the Ypj, an all-female Kurdish militia within the armed wing of the Syrian-based Democratic Union Party (Pyd).
“Dream’s Gate” is directed by Ahmadi and produced by Iran’s Elaheh Nobakht, whose credits include “The Apple Day,” “Beloved,” and “Silent House.” The doc is a co-production between Iran, France, and Norway, through production companies Eli Image, Ava Studios Paris, Spætt Film As, and Babel Doc.
This observational doc captures the struggles, hopes, and joys of these bold female fighters “for whom the...
To make “Dream’s Gate,” which will launch from Berlin’s Generation section for young audiences, Ahmadi traveled to the war zone of Northern Syria where she gained access to the lives of the women in the Ypj, an all-female Kurdish militia within the armed wing of the Syrian-based Democratic Union Party (Pyd).
“Dream’s Gate” is directed by Ahmadi and produced by Iran’s Elaheh Nobakht, whose credits include “The Apple Day,” “Beloved,” and “Silent House.” The doc is a co-production between Iran, France, and Norway, through production companies Eli Image, Ava Studios Paris, Spætt Film As, and Babel Doc.
This observational doc captures the struggles, hopes, and joys of these bold female fighters “for whom the...
- 2/8/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Iran-France-Norway co-production follows all-female Kurdish militia Ypj.
Visit Films has boarded worldwide sales rights to Iranian filmmaker Negin Ahmadi’s documentary Dreams’ Gate ahead of its world premiere in Berlin Generation 14plus.
Ahmadi travels to the war zone of northern Syria to follow the lives of the women in the Ypj, an all-female Kurdish militia for whom fighting Isis is a way to escape the restraints of a patriarchal society.
Dreams’ Gate (Darvazeye Royaha) weaves together candid moments between the female soldiers with the brutality of combat and offers a visual diary that examines the role of women in battle...
Visit Films has boarded worldwide sales rights to Iranian filmmaker Negin Ahmadi’s documentary Dreams’ Gate ahead of its world premiere in Berlin Generation 14plus.
Ahmadi travels to the war zone of northern Syria to follow the lives of the women in the Ypj, an all-female Kurdish militia for whom fighting Isis is a way to escape the restraints of a patriarchal society.
Dreams’ Gate (Darvazeye Royaha) weaves together candid moments between the female soldiers with the brutality of combat and offers a visual diary that examines the role of women in battle...
- 2/7/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Iran-France-Norway co-production follows all-female Kurdish militia Ypj.
Visit Films has boarded worldwide sales rights to Iranian filmmaker Negin Ahmadi’s documentary Dreams’ Gate ahead of its world premiere in Berlin Generation 14plus.
Ahmadi travels to the war zone of northern Syria to follow the lives of the women in the Ypj, an all-female Kurdish militia for whom fighting Isis is a way to escape the restraints of a patriarchal society.
Dreams’ Gate (Darvazeye Royaha) weaves together candid moments between the female soldiers with the brutality of combat and offers a visual diary that examines the role of women in battle...
Visit Films has boarded worldwide sales rights to Iranian filmmaker Negin Ahmadi’s documentary Dreams’ Gate ahead of its world premiere in Berlin Generation 14plus.
Ahmadi travels to the war zone of northern Syria to follow the lives of the women in the Ypj, an all-female Kurdish militia for whom fighting Isis is a way to escape the restraints of a patriarchal society.
Dreams’ Gate (Darvazeye Royaha) weaves together candid moments between the female soldiers with the brutality of combat and offers a visual diary that examines the role of women in battle...
- 2/7/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The Berlin Film Festival has revealed the first tranche of titles for its Panorama and Generation strands.
The Panorama lineup includes films from Ukraine, Yemen and about Iran. Of the 14 films selected, 11 are world premieres. There are new films by Sepideh Farsi, Jennifer Reeder, Tina Satter, Sacha Polak, Malene Choi and Ira Sachs.
The films selected for the Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus competitions include nine shorts and nine features, including 11 world premieres.
Stars featured in titles across the strands include Willem Dafoe, Ben Whishaw, Adèle Exarchopoulous, Leon Dai and Sydney Sweeney.
The festival takes place Feb. 16-26, 2023.
Panorama Titles
“Al Murhaqoon” (“The Burdened”)
by Amr Gamal. With Khaled Hamdan, Abeer Mohammed, Samah Alamrani, Awsam Abdulrahman, Shahd Algonfedy
Yemen/Sudan/Saudi Arabia
“Au cimetière de la pellicule” (“The Cemetery of Cinema”)
by Thierno Souleymane Diallo
France/Senegal/Guinea/Saudi Arabia
“El castillo” (“The Castle”)
by Martín Benchimol. With Justina Olivo,...
The Panorama lineup includes films from Ukraine, Yemen and about Iran. Of the 14 films selected, 11 are world premieres. There are new films by Sepideh Farsi, Jennifer Reeder, Tina Satter, Sacha Polak, Malene Choi and Ira Sachs.
The films selected for the Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus competitions include nine shorts and nine features, including 11 world premieres.
Stars featured in titles across the strands include Willem Dafoe, Ben Whishaw, Adèle Exarchopoulous, Leon Dai and Sydney Sweeney.
The festival takes place Feb. 16-26, 2023.
Panorama Titles
“Al Murhaqoon” (“The Burdened”)
by Amr Gamal. With Khaled Hamdan, Abeer Mohammed, Samah Alamrani, Awsam Abdulrahman, Shahd Algonfedy
Yemen/Sudan/Saudi Arabia
“Au cimetière de la pellicule” (“The Cemetery of Cinema”)
by Thierno Souleymane Diallo
France/Senegal/Guinea/Saudi Arabia
“El castillo” (“The Castle”)
by Martín Benchimol. With Justina Olivo,...
- 12/15/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
The Berlin International Film Festival has unveiled the first films selected to run in the Panorama and Generation sidebars of its 2023 edition.
The lineups include films featuring Willem Dafoe, Alicia Silverstone and The White Lotus star Sydney Sweeney and a broad geographical range, with features from Ukraine, Yemen and Iran, among others.
Ira Sachs’ Passages, a Paris-set drama featuring Ben Whishaw, Adèle Exarchopoulous and German actor Franz Rogowski, will have its European premiere in Berlin’s Panorama section, while the Jennifer Reeder-directed Perpetrator, described as a “bloody coming-of-age story” featuring Silverstone, Christopher Lowell and Kiah McKirnan, will have its world premiere bow in Berlin.
Another U.S. title heading to Berlin is Reality, the directorial debut of filmmaker Tina Satter featuring The White Lotus and Euphoria star Sweeney as Nsa whistleblower Reality Winner, who received a five-year prison sentence for leaking an...
The Berlin International Film Festival has unveiled the first films selected to run in the Panorama and Generation sidebars of its 2023 edition.
The lineups include films featuring Willem Dafoe, Alicia Silverstone and The White Lotus star Sydney Sweeney and a broad geographical range, with features from Ukraine, Yemen and Iran, among others.
Ira Sachs’ Passages, a Paris-set drama featuring Ben Whishaw, Adèle Exarchopoulous and German actor Franz Rogowski, will have its European premiere in Berlin’s Panorama section, while the Jennifer Reeder-directed Perpetrator, described as a “bloody coming-of-age story” featuring Silverstone, Christopher Lowell and Kiah McKirnan, will have its world premiere bow in Berlin.
Another U.S. title heading to Berlin is Reality, the directorial debut of filmmaker Tina Satter featuring The White Lotus and Euphoria star Sweeney as Nsa whistleblower Reality Winner, who received a five-year prison sentence for leaking an...
- 12/15/2022
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Increasingly hard for independent filmmakers in Iran to carry on working,” says Elaheh Nobakht.
Iranian producer Elaheh Nobakht of Eli Image has given her reaction to the decision by the Iranian authorities to prevent directors Farnaz and Mohammadreza Jurabchian from attending the IDFA world premiere of their film Silent House.
Speaking to Screen, Nobakht said it was now “becoming increasingly hard for independent filmmakers in Iran to carry on working” on their projects.
The documentary, which Nobakht produced, is screening in IDFA’s international competition and is in the running for IDFA Award for Best First Feature. It tells the...
Iranian producer Elaheh Nobakht of Eli Image has given her reaction to the decision by the Iranian authorities to prevent directors Farnaz and Mohammadreza Jurabchian from attending the IDFA world premiere of their film Silent House.
Speaking to Screen, Nobakht said it was now “becoming increasingly hard for independent filmmakers in Iran to carry on working” on their projects.
The documentary, which Nobakht produced, is screening in IDFA’s international competition and is in the running for IDFA Award for Best First Feature. It tells the...
- 11/17/2022
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.