amp.dw.com: No matter how difficult the conditions, there's only one thing that matters to these artists: making films.
Forbidden scenes from Egypt, bold young people in Sierra Leone, behind closed doors in Iran, and the hidden world of an Indigenous community in the Brazilian rainforest. Along with 200 other international talents, the filmmakers were guests at Berlinale Talents, the Berlin Film Festival’s global networking program.
3 comments:
As someone who truly believes that film is a reflection of ongoing events and the political climate of the world, I think that it is extremely important to recognize those who go to far lengths or take risks in order to create art meaningful to them. In fact, I believe that art is all the more meaningful when the creator makes their work have personal significance to not only themselves, but certain groups of people they relate to. I think the story of Hoda Mirzaee and her ability to design costumes for productions despite living in such a restrictive environment is especially meaningful, as it shows that she is willing to push the boundaries of social norms in her environment in order to create something not only meaningful to her, but also to others due to her origins. Overall, I love that these awards and this article highlights artists from areas that might not otherwise be able to create art freely.
I am Persian, and my grandparents immigrated from Iran. Growing up, I did not see many Persian artists or theatre makers to look up to in the mainstream media. When I got to high school, I started deliberately seeking out fellow Persian and Iranian theatre makers. I absolutely loved how this article highlighted four artists who continue to create despite the challenges they face from their home countries, and I was even more excited to learn that two out of the four artists mentioned are Iranian! I especially loved learning more about Hoda Mirzaee. She’s a costume designer in Tehran, the city where my grandparents grew up. I was able to find her website and portfolio online, and I’m definitely going to be diving deeper into her work! The other Iranian artist is Priscillia Kounkou Hoveyda, and her work is also centered around her experience in Tehran. I would love to research more about her too if I have the time!
Movies are all about the human experience. And if only certain humans can make movies, audiences are only learning about one kind and section of the human experience. Providing a place for artists who are from areas that do not have established film industries, face oppression or adversity to make movies is truly an incredible thing. Films from underdeveloped places allow people to learn from different perspectives and learn about different groups of people. Especially in places that are so politically divided and censored especially for women like iran, it is a true testament to these artists and their work that they are able to prevail and make art in such harsh climates. Congolese iranian director priscilla kounku hoveyda is such a force. She used to be a human right lawyer for the united nations before turning to film, yet another differing perspective.
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