Arabic-L:GEN:Films on Iraqi and Iranian women

Wed Feb 13 18:43:15 UTC 2002

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Arabic-L: Wed 13 Feb 2002
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1) Subject: Films on Iraqi and Iranian women

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1)
Date:  13 Feb 2002
From: Educate <educate at wmm.com>
Subject: Films on Iraqi and Iranian women

********* TILTING THE AXIS: FILMS ON IRANIAN & IRAQI WOMEN  ***********

Recently deemed two of the key countries on the "Axis of Power," Iran and
Iraq stand today as highly complex nations still widely unknown and
misunderstood by many Westerners.  To shed new light on these regions of the
Middle East, Women Make Movies is pleased to present four highly acclaimed
films profiling Iranian and Iraqi women and girls in their modern-day
environments.  Featuring two films by Kim Longtinotto and Ziba Mir Hosseini,
RUNAWAY and DIVORCE IRANIAN STYLE, A PLACE CALLED HOME by Persheng
Sadegh-Vaziri and IRAQI WOMEN: VOICES FROM EXILE by Maysoon Pachachi, this
timely group of films offer an intimate entry into the daily lives of women
from two of the most widely discussed countries now in the media, while
forcefully demonstrating the universal experiences of surviving the
emotional strains of divorce, coming of age under difficult circumstances,
overcoming cultural displacement, and embracing one's faith.

**************** RUNAWAY & DIVORCE IRANIAN STYLE  *********************

RUNAWAY
http://www.wmm.com/catalog/pages/c550.htm
2001, 87 minutes
Rental video $90.00 film $250.00/VHS Sale $295.00
Order # E750

"'Runaway' is a powerful and heart-breaking documentary about a group of
young runaway girls who are taken to a women's shelter in Tehran-Iran. The
film focuses on the sufferings of young girls who struggle to free
themselves from the tyrannical and abusive power of their families, mainly
their fathers, brothers, and stepfathers -- a subject rarely touched upon by
Iranian filmmakers. The sisterly feelings of the girls towards each other,
their spiritual strength, their courage to rebel, and their wit are shown
with a great degree of compassion and empathy in the film...Although the
film focuses on the poor uneducated families, one can imagine that the issue
of confinement and abuse goes beyond the issue of class when it comes to the
problem of domestic violence and the desire to control women through anger,
aggression, and madness." Mehrnaz Saeed, Colombia College

"...a compelling mingling of feminist anthropology and documentary
filmmaking...its powerful images remain with you long after the credits have
run." Shiva Balaghi, Associate Director, Kevorkian Center, NYU

DIVORCE IRANIAN STYLE, A film by Kim Longinotto and Ziba Mir-Hosseini
http://www.wmm.com/catalog/pages/c454.htm
1998, 80 minutes
Rental video $90.00 film $200.00/VHS Sale $295.00
Order # E619

Hilarious, tragic, stirring, this fly-on-the-wall look at several weeks in
an Iranian divorce court provides a unique window into the intimate
circumstances of Iranian women's lives. Following Jamileh, whose husband
beats her; Ziba, a 16 year old trying to divorce her 38 year old husband;
and Maryam, who is desperately fighting to gain custody of her daughters,
this deadpan chronicle showcases the strength, ingenuity, and guile with
which they confront biased laws, a Kafakaesque administrative system, and
their husbands' and families' rage to gain divorces.  Dispelling images of
Iran as a country of war, hostages, and "fatwas", and Iranian women as
passive victims of a terrible system, this film is a subtle, fascinating
look at women's lives in a country which is little known to most Americans.

"...fascinating...counters with compassion, humor, and a keen nose for
spotting empathetic characters, strong-willed women, and dramatic
moments..." Hamid Naficy, Author, The Making of Exile Cultures: Iranian
Television in Los Angeles

********************* A PLACE CALLED HOME  **************************

A PLACE CALLED HOME, A film by Persheng Sadegh-Vaziri
http://www.wmm.com/catalog/pages/c476.htm
1998, 30 minutes
Rental video $60.00/VHS Sale $225.00
Order # E638

Persheng Sadegh-Vaziri grew up in pre-Revolution Tehran daydreaming about an
ideal life in the West. Nineteen years later, after living and working in
the U.S., Persheng explores her controversial decision to move back to Iran,
to return to the place she never stopped calling home. In this fascinating
and very personal documentary, Persheng's interviews with her family--with
her mother and sister in the U.S. and with her father, who chose to remain
in Iran--reveal some of the complex layers of expatriate, national and
cultural identities. The film features a rare glimpse at women's lives in
contemporary Tehran.

"Can you go home again? Persheng Sadegh-Vaziri documents here the searing
angst of exile and the equally devastating experience of return to Iran."
Ellen Fairbanks Bodman, University of North Carolina

*************** IRAQI WOMEN: VOICES FROM EXILE ****************

IRAQI WOMEN: VOICES FROM EXILE, A videotape by Maysoon Pachachi
http://www.wmm.com/catalog/pages/c32.htm
1994, 54 minutes
Rental video $75.00/VHS Sale $250.00
Order # E203

Iraqi Women-Voices from Exile provides a fascinating and rare look at the
recent history of Iraq through the eyes and experiences of Iraqi women
living in exile in Britain. The Arab world usually speaks to the outside
with a male voice and Arab women's voices are rarely heard. This documentary
features moving interviews with women about life in Iraq before Saddam
Hussein came to power, in the years of repression under his regime and
through the Gulf War in 1991. As well as providing a forum for Iraqis to
tell their own stories to a western audience, Iraqi Women-Voices from Exile
also contributes to a process of Iraqi self-criticism.

"Quietly powerful...The restraint of both the women and the film intensfies
the emotional impact of their experiences and testimonials." Hamid Naficy,
Rice University

These titles are part of WMM's growing collection of work by and about women
in the Middle East.  Please check out our website at www.wmm.com for
information on these and other titles.  You can also request a copy our 30th
Anniversary catalogue or get information on other new releases at
http://www.wmm.com/catalog/newrelse/new_releases.htm.

*************** WMM CONTACT & ORDERING INFO *****************

To order RUNAWAY, DIVORCE IRANIAN STYLE, A PLACE CALLED HOME or IRAQI WOMEN:
VOICES FROM EXILE, please visit our website www.wmm.com, or contact us at:

Women Make Movies, 462 Broadway, Suite 500E, New York, NY  10013
P/212.925.0606 x360, F/212.925.2052
orders at wmm.com / www.wmm.com

*********************** ABOUT WMM ***************************

Women Make Movies is a non-profit feminist media organization which
facilitates the production, promotion, distribution and exhibition.
Celebrating our 30th year as the world's largest distributor of films and
videos made by and about women in 2002,  we provide a diverse collection of
more than 450 titles to the viewing public and are supported in part by
grants from such agencies as the MacArthur Foundation and the National
Endowment for the Arts. Our catalogue is used by thousands of educational,
community and cultural organizations annually.

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End of Arabic-L:  13 Feb 2002