| The film begins in Tehran, Iran's baseball diamond with the city's team discussing an invitation they received to go to the US. They explain that the plans later fell through once the twin tower's collapsed. Then, they laugh about how Bin Laden has nothing to do with Iran setting the tone for a film that is able to express powerful political situations in the subtleties of everyday life and conversation.
Young Republic, directed by Persian American Nooshin Navidi, takes place mainly on a University campus, speaking with students and professors. The film calls attention to the fact that the majority of the Iranian population is under thirty, signaling the importance of hearing the voices of the youth of Iran. We meet engineering students who say that while they compete in international competitions they lack monetary resources for their projects which puts them on unequal ground with richer countries. One student laments on how most professionals in the country have left to live abroad, but says he would never do this to his country.
Navidi goes into the topic of America with students she meets. Two religious girls say that it is more about the animosity between governments than between people. A debate club in a classroom has a heated argument over America. One man says America represents freedom and economic prosperity, being the best in the world. A woman argues with him that while America is not bad, it is not perfect and he shouldn't be fooled by illusions. Young women in the cafeteria laugh as they discuss that their perceptions of America lie in movies they have seen. Then one woman from the group asks, what do Americans think of us, do they think we are terrorists?
The candid interviews that Navidi is able to gain access to provide Americans with a unique look into the country of Iran, which is highly unavailable and unseen in America. There is a sense in speaking with the students that government rules are not necessarily expressive of the people's cultural values. One student, after singing Celine Dion's Titanic song, describes how the overbearing restrictions of the government on music and entertainment are largely ignored by\ the people of Iran. His father later tells him to be careful what he says.
The layers of what is happening in Iran are delicately unraveled in these films. Rezaian ends his film by saying "Iran is a confusing place," and that nobody can claim they know what is happening. However, these two short films give enough intimate information about the people of Iran that upon hearing him say this, the audience can feel knowledgeable about the confusion he speaks of.
A World Between is available for purchase from the website and is also being shown on LinkTV. Young Republic is continuing its travels on the film festival circuit.
In showing the living, breathing complexities of Iran, A World Between and Young Republic give viewers the faces and thoughts of people who are easy to relate to. With the threat of the US government attacking Iran hopefully it is personal encounters like these that will make more American's speak up for Iran's people and against US military action. |
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