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Intergeneric Translation: Past of Present | the films of Maryam Ghorbankarimi

A screening and discussion of

Ties
Feature, 14 Minutes (2006)

Past of Future
Documentary, 23 Minutes (2006)

Red Burka
Documentary, 4 Minutes (2008)

Ties: [Feature, 14 Minutes (2006)] An old man shows up every morning at a deserted train station to conduct a ritual of waiting for his train during the day. A little boy is gradually attracted to him and they talk. The little boy tells him that trains do not pass there any more, but the old man insists that they will. The old man tells him stories that highlight the necessity of compassion and cooperation for having a better life and making dreams come true. The old man helps the boy with his wounds, and they get close. Later the boy tells him that people say he (the old man) is a fool. Then one day the old man gets up and goes… The film depicts the development of a simple human relationship, but it leaves a number of gaps in the narrative to confront the spectators’ desire for judgement and interpretation. Is the old man waiting for death? Or is he simply waiting for e moment to be able to actually leave for the land of his dreams? Does he have a troubled relationship with his children as his story may suggest? Or does he have ties with the land, the sky and the river? This is a deceptively simple film that triggers existential questions about life, belonging and becoming?   Past of Future: [Documentary, 23 Minutes (2006)] The director is paying a visit to her homeland, Iran, to fulfil her desire for recording the achievement of women that have inspired her to become what she is. Examining the lives of professional and unprofessional working women in Iran, the film is a tribute to the power of women to make their dreams come true.   Red Burka: [Documentary, 4 Minutes (2008)] The film reflects on the lives of women is an Iranian village on the coast of the Persian Gulf as it reflects on the ‘red burka’, a mask worn by the women of the region to enhance feminine charm.  

Further Reading

• Lila Azam Zanganeh (ed.) My Sister, Guard Your Veil; My Brother, Guard Your Eyes: Uncensored Iranian Voices ( Beacon Press , 2006).
• Ramin Jahan Begloo (ed.) Iran between Tradition and Modernity, ( Lexington Books, 2004).

Biography.

Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Maryam 3moved to Canada in 2001 to continue her education in film at Toronto’s Ryerson University. She is currently a PhD candidate in film studies at the University of Edinburgh in the UK and her research focus is on the representation of women in Iranian Cinema. Maryam is also a filmmaker and has made a number of short films, both fiction and documentary, which have been shown at festivals such as Montreal International Film Festival, Beijing International Short Film Festival, and Tehran International Short Film Festival. Her research interests include women, gender, and cinema, and in general the cinemas of the developing countries.  

This page last modified 8 February, 2012 by [UCL Mellon Admin]