Iran is My Land

Friday, March 28
Iran is My Land
Join us for a lecture by NFC Visiting Fellow, Yaser Farashahinejad.
By
Northrop Frye Centre
Date and time
Starts on Fri, Mar 28, 2025 1:00 PM EDT
Location
Northrop Frye Centre (VC 102)
91 Charles St West Toronto, ON M5S1K5 Canada
About this event
“Iran is my Land: Subliminal Dialogue and Modernity in Iranian Cinema
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About the talk…
The film “Iran is My Land” (1999), directed by the distinguished Iranian filmmaker Parviz Kimiavi, presents a nuanced exploration of cultural heritage and censorship through the lens of its protagonist, Sohrab—a writer and intellectual in Iran. Sohrab is driven by his aspiration to compile an anthology featuring the works of eminent Persian poets, including Rumi, Hafiz, and Firdawsī. His odyssey from southern Iran to the capital city of Tehran reflects a quest for permission from the Ministry of Censorship of the Islamic Republic, underscoring the tension between artistic expression and state control.
Upon his encounter with a censorship department employee, Sohrab confronts an ideological barrier regarding the publication of his anthology. The employee asserts that the poetry in question contains references to wine, which he deems unacceptable within Islamic cultural sensibilities. The film climaxes through a non-linear narrative structure, as Sohrab finds himself in an imaginary caravanserai. In this surreal setting, surrounded by the spectral presences of classical Persian poets, Sohrab engages in a profound discussion regarding the themes of wine and the portrayal of women in Persian poetry.