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"World of Cinema" is courtesy of Darius Kadivar
Happy 80th birthday, Ms. Monroe. What paths might your life have taken? Thursday, June 1, 2006 http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/01/DDGJNJ4M1O1.DTL&type=movies
Marilyn Monroe is as dead as James Dean in that practically the first thing we learn about her is that she's dead. The second thing we know is that she was beautiful. It's difficult to mourn someone who's been dead for 44 years, and yet to contemplate the anniversary of Monroe's birth -- 80 years ago today on June 1, 1926 -- is to come suddenly and unexpectedly close. All at once what seemed like inevitability gives way to possibility. Think of who she was, how she was regarded, and the people she knew. Think of where she stood in the world, of her communicative gifts, of how much people liked her. She was in the twilight of her girlhood and in the early morning of her womanhood. Her life was before her. She could have done anything, but didn't. She didn't know what she'd be missing -- and now we don't know what we missed. But we can guess, so that's what we did. Several of us have devised Marilyn scenarios, filling out a vision of the past 44 years that might have been. Some of these scenarios are satiric, some are a little sad. Mine started out trying to be funny, but then I got depressed in the middle of it. That should come as no surprise. Funny, but then sad: What could be more right for Marilyn Monroe?
Good Time with Iranian Cinema
I have been lucky with films these days. My cousin Fahimeh lent me some Iranian DVD films that I had missed on screen. I love watching movies, and I find this is the best way for me to relax and see movies. I can do it whenever it is convenient and if I don't like it I just fast forward, unless it is really bad.
Last week, I watched three films in a row. The first was I'm Taraneh 15. It was so good. The film was work of Mr Rasoul Sader-Amlie and Taraneh Alidoust played her part most beautifully. It was engaging, interesting as it showed so many issues that prevails in our towns and in our lives here in Iran.
The next film that I enjoyed watching was Friday's Soldiers, the work of prominent Iranian film director Masoud Kimiaie. The film tells the story of three guys, who meet while serving their military service, and their sergeant, when they come to Tehran on leave on a Friday. The film shows the relationship that develops between the three and the brother of one of them. It shows the pain that each one carries in his life whether rich or poor, traditional or westernized. I was most impressed with some of acting done by the ladies in the film, Andishe Fouladvand and Marbela Zareie.
The third film was The Fifth Reaction by Tahmineh Millani about a group of women friend who are teachers and how they help each other to combat the harshness and injustice that men bring into their lives. This I had seen many years ago when it was screened privately.
Last week I was invited to private viewing of a film called Gone with the Wind by Mr Sadre Abdoulahi. This film was not allowed to be screened for four years and after a lot of negotiation and cuts it recently got permission from the authorities for public viewing.
Golshifteh Farahani
The director wanted to get a feminists point of view. When I talked to him before the screening, he told me that this is the first political film which is serious. Well, apart from a few clich?lines I could not at any time look at this and find it serious let alone political. Mr Abdoulahi told me he made this film so that in fifty years time, when people review Iranian cinema of today, they will find this film as a source of telling it. The film is about a young newly-wed couple who goes to Kish and wants to help develop it. In the process, even though he succeeds, at the end he loses his wife and leads a very unhappy lonely life. She goes to North America, studies and comes back eventually to beat her former husband's firm at a tender. Is this feminism? No way! Women have not suffered, tried, studied and aspired just to end up playing silly games of win and lose. In playing such games everybody will eventually lose. The film has a few very good sequences but I found it below average even though it had two leading artists. I hope you sometime get to draw your own conclusions.
Earlier this year, I was also lucky to be invited by Mr and Mrs Toscano at their house to see the lovely film Fish Fall in Love by Ali Rafie which recently won the best film at the 7th Aubange International Film festival. This was wonderful to see. Mr Rafie who has extensive experience of the theater has made each shot a beautiful picture to look at. The script, which he wrote, has portrayed the women in this film most interestingly and their relationships with themselves, their world and each other truly profound. We met the leading actress in the film, Golshifteh Farahani, who was at the private screening along with Mr Rafie and her husband. This is a great film and I recommend that, if it comes your way, please go and see it and let me know what you think.
Kathleen Kennedy Spielbergs Producer acquires Persepolis
Kathleen Kennedy Steven Spielbergs close associate producer of such film successes as Munich, The Indiana Jones trilogies and Jurrassic Park has aquired the North American rights to Iranian Marjan Satrapi's animation film adaptation of her bestelling comic book Persepolis due in 2007 and to be presented at the Cannes Film Festival.
Shohreh Aghdashloo and Sandra Bullock in film The Lake House
Shohreh Aghdashloo's latest movie cast as DR ANNA KLYCZNSKI is entitled The Lake House with Sandra Bullock and Keenu Reeves will be out on June 16th
The man with a beard is famed French screen writer Jean Claude
Carriere. His wife is Iranian poetess Nahal TAJADOD.
A gathering in Los Angeles, 1972: (from left to right standing)
Robert Mulligan, William Wyler,
Bahar Soomekh cast as Farah in movie Prince of Persia Noticed for her role in Paul Haggis' oscar winner Crash and in Tom
Cruise' Mission Impossible III, Iranian actress Bahar Soomekh is rumored
to be cast as Farah the warrior one of the leading roles in the next
Jerry Brukheimer(Pirates of the Carrebeans) film Prince of Persia
: The Sands of Time based on the popular Video game.
THE WORST FILM AT CANNES COMPETITION 2006 http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/marieantoinette/index.html
I think this is going to be the most embarrassing film of the Croisette
this year. Made by Sofia Copolla and shot on location it looks so
bad. From the costumes to the actors. Non look like the original ones.
This is the most vulgar depiction and Hollywood at its worst. And
Boy It takes alot for me to bad mouth Hollywood for I truly don't
think this is a Hollywood movie. The best Hollywood films on European
History were made by Europeans and particularly the British. Just
listen to the music Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ;0(
Ava Gardner lived life 'like a rocket' http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/books/06/05/ava.gardner.ap/index.html
Several Iranian Actors screen testing for Hollywood Film Prince
of Persia
The very reliable imdb.com website suggests three Iranian actors
who have been rumored to play in the upcoming film adaptation of the
Computer game Prince of Persia to be produced by Jerry Bruckheimer
(Pirates of the Caribbean ):
Photo of the Day: Marjane Satrapi and Jury at Cannes
The Author of the Best selling comic book Persepolis Marjane Satrapi, third from Left, is member of the Cannes Film festival Jury. This is the first photo of the jury at the film festival which debuted on Wednsday 17th May.
AISHWARYA RAI's Beauty REIGNS on Cannes
Brando's final film back on track
As well as starring in the film, Brando had been involved with the development of the project, including working on script revisions with Behi, the director. "What I was highlighting in the film, the Arab-USA tensions, have even greater resonance, two years later," said Behi. The fictional side of the film will star Christopher Walken. Shooting has already begun at the Cannes Film Festival and will continue in the UK, Tunisia and the US over the next few weeks. Behi, whose other films include Les Anges and Soleil des Heynes, is planning to submit Citizen Brando for next year's Cannes festival.
Former Doors Drummer John Densmore And Iran’s Reza Offer
Cross-Cultural Sounds http://www.henhousestudios.com/artists/mkpgartist.php?artistID=1120
Darius Khondji films Zidane (Cannes Film Festival Selection)
Zidane by director Douglas Gordon and photographed film by French Iranian Darius KHondji.This is a portrait on film, in action and in real time, of one of the greatest players in the history of soccer, Zinédine Zidane. The film is a unique endeavor midway between the work of a portrait artist and a high action movie for a broad viewing public. Seventeen synchronized cameras were used, mixing super 35mm and High Definition, each focusing solely on Zinédine Zidane from the first kick of the ball to the final whistle. This 360 degree perspective along with a sound universe that recreates the environment of the crowd allows us to enter into a multidimensional space leading the spectator to experience the sensations, the psychology and the body of a moving athlete.
Sean Connery at Yasmina Reza NY premiere of ART
Sir Sean Connery whose French wife Micheline discovered the work
of French Iranian playwrite Yasmina Reza has often described his wish
to do a screen adaption of her play which he has acquired the Rights
for the UK and US releases. In 1998 he was at the premiere of Art
in NY to support the American Cast of this Internationaly acclaimed
play.
French Filmmakers Go From Penguins to Politics
Bellucci to Play Sonia Gandhi in Biopic
Monica Bellucci will star in a film about Italian-born Sonia Gandhi, who married into India's most powerful political dynasty and now heads the country's ruling party, the Times of India reported Tuesday. The Italian actress agreed to take on the role after reading the script, producer Sunanda Murli Manohar was quoted as saying. "Her confirmation finally puts a seal on the deal," Manohar said. "She is excited about the prospect of playing Sonia Gandhi."
Nazanin Boniadi (Born in Tehran, Iran) is a Persian actress and musician. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazanin_Boniadi Her parents moved to London shortly after, where she was raised with an emphasis on morality, integrity and education. Nazanin graduated top of her class from a prestigious private high school in London, England. She went on to earn a bachelor's degree, with Honors, in Biological Sciences from the University of California Irvine. Adept at multi-tasking, Nazanin never lost focus of helping her community while growing intellectually. Her molecular research into finding a cure for cancer and heart transplant rejection won her the competitive "Chang Pin-Chun" Undergraduate Research Award. Nazanin demonstrated her leadership abilities as Assistant Editor-in-Chief of MedTimes, UCI's undergradute medical newspaper, and as Head Coordinator of the Biology of Cancer class on campus. Nazanin is also a published writer, with her work appearing in such publications as "Online Journal" and "Persian Journal". However, Nazanin's abilities do not merely stop here. She is skilled at ice skating, certified in both CPR and scuba diving, and excellent at belly dancing. Nazanin's passion for the performing arts started at the age of 10 when she received a merit from the Royal College of Music"in London for playing the violin. Other artistic achievements include a certificate in ballet from the Vaccani School of Dance in London and winning the British "Yamaha Electone Festival" for playing the electric organ. After appearing as the lead in numerous high school productions such as The Boyfriend, Joseph & the Amazing Techinicolor Dreamcoat and West Side Story, Nazanin earned her first TV credit hosting "Early Bird", a popular children's TV show in the U.K.
Nazanin Boniadi also played role in "Bi khial" video clip of Afshin a popular Persian singer. New to Hollywood, Nazanin is quickly proving herself as a versatile talent and has already appeared in numerous independent projects, including THE SNITCH by director Ming Lo and the feature film GAMEFACE by director James Rhodimer.[1
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