Rare Brazil Film Event in Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan

The Brazil Film Week, organized by Art and Experience Cinematic Group in collaboration with the Brazil Embassy, opened on October 7 at the Iranian Artists Forum in Tehran.

Brazili’s Ambassador Rodrigo de Azeredo Santos and the acclaimed film director from the South American country, Roberto Berliner, attended the inauguration of the event, the first of its kind in Iran.

“Despite the (geographical) distance, Iran and Brazil have a lot in common. One of the similarities is the affection and passion for culture -- both have a long cinematographic tradition,” the Brazilian envoy told the ceremony.

“However, there is a lack of knowledge between the two countries, especially in the cultural domain. Brazil Film Week aims to contribute to increasing the knowledge about Brazil cinema and society in Iran,” he added.

During the special week, which is running simultaneously in Sareh Cinema of Isfahan and Golestan Cinema in Shiraz, Berliner and Iranian director Shahram Mokri are holding workshops on filmmaking in Brazil and joint production.

“The workshops help build a discourse between Iranian and Brazilian film producers. It will indeed be the beginning of a strong and deep relationship between the two nations,” said de Azeredo Santos.

  Art Films

In a talk with the Financial Tribune, the Brazilian filmmaker Berliner expressed pleasure about having co-productions with Iran cinema, and said: “Every filmmaker in Brazil interested in art films would be excited about the idea (of joint production, if conditions met) because we love Iranian films.”

An art film is typically a serious, independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass audience. They are made primarily for aesthetic reasons rather than commercial profit. Iranian productions are usually considered in the category of art films.

“As a documentarian, I welcome the opportunities and meetings to be in touch with Iranian people. This can help infuse ideas for new films and documentaries in my mind,” Berliner added.

Berliner, 60, is a globally renowned director and producer mostly known for his films ‘Nise: The Heart of Madness’ (2015), ‘A Farra do Circo’ (2014) and ‘Herbert de Perto’ (2009).

  Low Budget Productions

Elaborating on the similarities between films made in the two nations, Berliner said, “sometimes when I watch an Iranian movie, I think it could have been made in Brazil. Both countries (usually) make movies on low budgets. In the 1960s Brazil cinema had a slogan ‘one idea in your head, one camera in your mind’, that is all you need to make a video or film”.

He believes Iranian films are synonymous with poetic films. When asked who his favorite Iranian filmmaker is, Berliner said, “I have seen many films by Abbas Kiarostami (late director, screenwriter, photographer, and film producer). He is very important for us. Everybody interested in cinema knows him in Brazil. His films indeed are different from the other Iranian films I have seen. We even have a film production company there named after him as Abbas Filmes”.

At the opening ceremony, Ja’afar Sanei-Moqadam, international advisor to Art and Experience Cinematic Group said that Georgia Film Night will be held October 22. “Recognizing and introducing animations, short film documentaries and artistic cinema of countries that do not get the chance to go on screen or be watched internationally, due to the dominance of Hollywood movies, is among the main objectives of the group in holding such programs.”

Art and Experience Cinematic Group, affiliated to the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, has created a platform (in a limited number of cinemas across the country) to show selected non-commercial films and demonstrate the vision and foresight of their creators.

The inauguration ceremony ended with the screening of the 2015 docudrama, ‘Nisa: The Heart of Madness’ directed by Berliner. In 2015, the film won Audience Award for Best Film as well as Grand Prix for Best Actress at the Tokyo International Film Festival.