The Iranian movie 'A Cube of Sugar' had its first two showings at the Honolulu Museum of Art, Hawaii.
Directed by Seyyed-Reza Mir-Karimi, the 2011 drama feature film was warmly welcomed by local audiences and critics.
Iran’s submission for 2013 best foreign language Oscar is a lovingly crafted portrait of everyday life and tradition in modern Iran. As an extended family prepares for the wedding of the youngest girl in the family, several parallel stories emerge. In the mix are a flurry of arriving relatives and an endless parade of food, as the celebratory feast is prepared. Before the celebration can get underway, a simple cube of sugar turns preparations for nuptials into quite another kind of gathering.
On 24 September 2012, the film was selected as the Iranian entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards. However, on the same day the head of Iran's government controlled cinema agency called for a boycott of the Oscars due to the Innocence of Muslims video on YouTube that originated in the United States.
The director Mir-Karimi (Under the Moonlight; So Close, So Far) brilliantly captures the intense emotions that pass through any family at pivotal moments of life and death, with warmth, emotion and hope.
The movie was screened at the Doris Duke Theatre, named in honor of Doris Duke, who was a generous philanthropist and supporter of Islamic art and culture.
The Honolulu Museum of Art is dedicated to the collection, preservation, interpretation, and teaching of the visual arts, and the presentation of exhibitions, films and videos, performing arts, and public programs specifically relevant to Hawaii’s ethnically diverse community.
The film was screened with English subtitles on September 6 and 9, and will be shown on Sep. 11 as well.
