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Photo: Geetika Sudip

reflecting reality: Jafar Panahi.

“My films are inspired by the circumstances in which I live, so it’s easy for me to transfer it to the screen,” emphasised Panahi, recently in Thiruvananthapuram as Jury Chairman of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). “I’m part of the reality that depict.”

His quest to blend realistic immediacy with aesthetic appeal has been effected through a documentary style of filmmaking. Not only are his films shot in real homes and on streets: he even avoids professional actors for heightened impact.

“Adopting a documentary approach is difficult. But I want my viewers to forget the camera and focus on the content alone.” Every camera movement and edit transition is carefully controlled so that the audience is not distracted from the theme, Panahi added.

Almost all his films highlight the predicament of women in Iran, but he insists it has not been a conscious effort. ”The limitations and restrictions in Iranian society form the crux of my cinema. Therefore I end up voicing the concerns of women, as they are the worst affected.”

That explains why Panahi – though looked upon disapprovingly by the Iranian establishment – has friends among women’s rights activists. He is invariably a signatory to all major memorandums that seek women’s’ empowerment because “they approve of the uncompromising stance evident in my filmmaking.”

It’s now seven years since he made ‘Dayereh,’ which went on to win the Golden Lion award at Venice. Yet it still holds considerable appeal for viewers worldwide. “All the issues I focussed upon in that film are, unfortunately, still relevant today. If anything, the situation has deteriorated over the last few years and not just for women. The present regime has enforced strict restrictions on the press and media. Most newspapers have been shut down.”

Panahi’s films have not found favour with the administration either: his latest ‘Off-side’ (2006), which foregrounds the rights of women against the backdrop of professional football, has also been banned. “Thanks to smuggled DVDs, my fellow Iranians do manage to watch my films,” said Panahi with a grin.

Making each film of his career has been a battle against impossible odds for Panahi. “Most of the effort goes into just making the film possible. The actual process of filmmaking is not so taxing,” he confides. “Conversely, this pressure ensures that I give each film my best shot. If conditions in Iran were more conducive, I might’ve not been motivated to this extent.” He believes that artists will find a way to realise their vision, notwithstanding the obstacles they face.”

Much of the good cinema today is being created by filmmakers from conflict-ridden areas. Films from the former USSR, Czech Republic, and Balkans are testimony to this.”

This self-confessed fan of Satyajit Ray has a theory to explain why Malayalis have a special fondness for Iranian cinema.

“Perhaps at some point Malayalis had experienced social situations similar to those depicted in Iranian films. One thing I’ve realised over the years is that if you are pro-humanity, people will appreciate your work no matter which country they belong to.”

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