THIS IS NOT A FILM (G)
Madman Entertainment
SOMETIMES it’s too easy to take our political and artistic freedoms for granted. Prolific Iranian filmmaker and pro-democracy campaigner Jafar Panahi was arrested in December 2010 along with his collaborator Mohammad Rasoulof.
Panahi was accused of threatening national security with his thought-provoking films, including Crimson Gold, The Circle and Offside.
This is Not a Film, courageously shot by Panahi during his house arrest in Tehran and smuggled to the 2011 Cannes film festival in a cake, is a powerful documentary that explores themes of passion, determination and despair. Panahi is a caged genius, with little human contact leading to some odd comic asides with a pet iguana and a touching friendship with a young student. When he enacts scenes of an unfilmed movie, Panahi’s breakdown is devastating as he faces the prospect of a 20-year ban. His courage teaches us all something about humanity’s need for art.
