Helen's Blog /

2003 Noble Prize Winner, Shirin Ebadi, Iranian lawyer and human rights advocate talked with famous screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière at The Day in Tehran event, organized, June 13th, in Paris, France on the grounds of the Cinémathèque Française.

Shirin Ebadi and Jean-Claude Carrière

Shirin Ebadi is one of the very first female judges in Iran. Her constant and unfailing efforts in fostering Human Rights for the weak and needy, in particular, women's rights, children's rights and political prisoners', have earned her the distinction of many well-deserved Awards and Tributes.

Jean-Claude Carrière, a well-known French writer, for the screen, theatre, as well as literary, is well-versed in Iranian culture. In 2006, he prefaced a work on a major Iranian poet "Sur les pas de Rûmi" (Albin Michel) and has recited Iranian poems set to music: Chants d'amour de Rûmi (CD/Gallimard). He also made a cameo appearance in Abbas Kiarostami's recent film presented at Cannes: "Copie Conforme ".

It was a fine occasion for Shirin Ebadi to sign her books in person: Iranienne et libre – Mon combat pour la justice - (Iranian and Free - My fight for Justice) (Éditions La Découverte, 2006) and The Golden Cage - La Cage Dorée (Éditions l'Archipel, 2010) both available at the Bookstore of the Cinémathèque Française.

From 10 am to past midnight, The Day in Tehran was meant to support and focus on contemporary Iranian cinema to make them more visible to the Parisian public - a craft that is subject to harsh censorship and repression in Iran.

The date was chosen to coincide with the year-earlier "Green Protests" in that country.

A huge public turned out, of all ages, including many Iranian exiles, friends and film-lovers, to see "Persépolis " by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, "Téhéran " by Nader T. Homayoun, "The Mirror " by Jafar Panahi, "Persian Cats " by Bahman Ghobadi, "Freedom, for a Second " by Arash T. Riahi, "About Elly " by Asgahr Farhadi, "S.O.S Tehran " by Sou Abadi, "My Tehran for Sale " by Granaz Moussavi, "Travelogue " by Mahnaz Mohammadi et "We Are Half of Iran's Population ". Rafi Pitts presented his brand new film, "The Hunter ", scheduled for cinema release in November 2010.

One of the highlights of the day was the conversation between Ms. Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Prize winner, and Jean-Claude Carrière. Almost overflowing with viewers, the Salle Henri Langlois seemed spellbound in admiration for the Iranian Judge's courage and determination, as she described the current Iranian regime in its true colours.

A round table on "Iranian Cinema Today" gathered filmmakers and actresses from Iran (Marjane Satrapi, Sou Abadi, Mahnaz Mohammadi, Behi Djanati Ataï, Gholshifteh Farahani, Nader T.Homayoun, Rafi Pittts), animated by Bamchade Pourvali, to summarize an industry in movement but increasingly subject to the difficulties raised by blatant censorship and bad treatment of filmmakers. To further the ambiance, Perian music was represented by the Pouya Group as well as Ahmad Yahyazadez from the House of Daf, and a Persian luncheon was served on the lawn with programs for children and family alike.

To top off the moving moments, Constantine Costa-Gavras, President de la Cinémathèque française, read out a message from recently-released prisoner, Jafar Panahi.

A cocktail of cinema, culture, freedom of expression and protest against censorship, were at the heart of this Day at Tehran.

Over 3 000 film entries were sold during the day and many will look back on the event with emotion.