From Narges Abyar Making Films From the Factory of the Heart

A record 27 women are behind the 92 foreign-language film submissions of the upcoming Academy Awards slated for March 4, 2018.

Narges Abyar from Iran, who is partaking in the event with her feature 'Breath', has spoken to the weekly American Magazine Variety.

Asked "what was your biggest obstacle in making the film" she said, "being a  woman was the biggest obstacle when I first begin my career since I had to win everyone’s trust".

Calling it a historical problem which exists all over the world, she says women are basically looked upon and judged for their gender and their art and abilities are ignored.

Either as a writer or filmmaker, she considers her career breakthrough as the power to have done things she wanted to. "I have made films that I was willing to make, and I am so happy for this. I do not believe that the success of a film or filmmaker depends merely on box office or awards; to me it is of great importance and value that my films were welcomed by the audience," she added. "The more a movie comes from your heart, the more impact it will have on the audience".

As a filmmaker who experienced war, she said that the confrontation of women and children with the very complicated issue of war has been her obsession, an issue that she has followed in her films. "I have tried to be the loud voice of these women and children."

‘Breath’ follows the young, imaginative and joyful ‘Bahar’ as she grows up in Iran during the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. A deep and well-crafted film, it depicts a child’s complex experience of family, school, friendship, literacy and social ambition.

When asked on her filmmaking heroes, Abyar named Krzysztof Kieślowski and Alejandro González Iñárritu to be the two most important directors she has learnt from.

Born in Tehran, Abyar, 46, has written nearly 30 story and fiction books for children, young adults and adults. She has also made several short and feature-length documentaries. ‘Breath’ is her third feature film which received the award for the film with a ‘National View’ at the 34th Fajr Film Festival in 2016 and had a successful screening at home last year.