A group of factory workers rallies against government bureaucracy. A battered woman seeks refuge from her abusive, drug-addicted husband. A taxi driver has a chance encounter with a prostitute and her young daughter. These are just a few of the stories that make up Rakhshan Bani-E’temad’s Tales, a vivid and moving portrait of life in present-day Tehran, and one of 12 films in the Official Competition at this year’s Sydney Film Festival.
“In no way do I claim that my films are a full reflection of the social conditions in Iran,” says Bani-E’temad. “My point of view is more towards prevailing social problems. I hope by critically looking at them I can help improve conditions.”
It’s an admirable goal, and one she has been working towards for quite some time. Dubbed the First Lady of Iranian Cinema, Bani-E’temad has been making features and documentaries for more than 30 years, boldly tackling an array of social issues in a nation where filmmakers and artists are subject to strict government control. Case in point: another movie in competition at the festival this year is Tehran Taxi, the third film made in secret by director Jafar Panahi in defiance of a 20-year ban on filmmaking laid down in 2010.
“I always try to show the subject matter in a way to avoid censorship,” says Bani-E’temad, who has had difficulties with state censors herself; Tales was actually completed back in 2011, but has only now been approved for release. “Naturally there is a great deal of sensitivity around social cinema and navigating [it] is not easy, but this is an unavoidable part of the process of making socially conscious films in Iran. Thankfully, despite all the problems we encountered, the film was made and released publicly exactly as I wanted, with no enforced cuts.
“During my filmmaking career these conditions have varied in ease and difficulty, depending on the taste and agenda of those in charge of cultural affairs at the time,” she continues. “Despite all the problems that exist for filmmakers in Iran, filmmaking is not impossible. Cinema is an art and industry beloved by Iranians and every year more young filmmakers appear on the scene.”
Tales tackles the issue of censorship quite explicitly, through a documentary filmmaker character who appears in the film. In the final scene, he remarks that “no film ever stays in a drawer”, reflecting Bani-E’temad’s own views. “Censorship and imposing limits cannot keep a film banned forever,” she says. “Eventually, every work of art will be seen.”
But censorship is just one of a number of social issues touched on in Tales. Several of the characters in the film are struggling with drug addictions, a problem that Bani-E’temad feels is exacerbated in Iran because of its location.
“Our country, due to its geographical position, is on the transit route of drug trafficking from Asia to Europe. Every year, a number of Iranian drug enforcing agents lose their lives in fighting the traffickers. Drug addiction among our youth is one of the serious issues facing our society. Of course, in recent years there have been positive changes in parts of this system, but still there is a lot of unnecessary red tape.”
So too does the film address violence against women, something that has long been a concern of Bani-E’temad’s work. “Violence against women is a serious issue which requires a lot of attention, not just in Iran but worldwide,” she says. “In Tales I have dealt with a number of social issues with special focus on women, and naturally domestic violence is high on the agenda.”
Tales shows atState TheatreThursdayJune 11 and Friday June 12, as part of the Sydney Film Festival Official competition.
