The popular Boston Festival of Films from Iran is back, showcasing the best new films from a country that has consistently produced some of the world's most compelling cinema over decades of political change and in spite of growing artistic censorship. The bracing documentary A Revolution on Canvas delves into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of more than 100 paintings by renowned artist Nickzad Nodjoumi considered treasonous, lensed by Nodjoumi's daughter. The smart drama Terrestrial Verses reveals the limitations on personal agency that Iranian citizens encounter in daily life through captivating vignettes. The Persian Version, a charming comedy about a daughter of Iranian immigrants navigating two opposing cultures, won the Audience Award at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. And the touching drama Winners follows a young cinephile who discovers a lost Academy Award statuette and embarks on a journey to discover where it came from, getting a crash course in Iranian cinema along the way.

Schedule of Events

February 16, 2024

7:00 pm–8:20 pm: Terrestrial Verses

Directed by Ali Asgari and Alireza Khatami (Iran, 2023, 77 min.). Farsi with English subtitles.

Terrestrial Verses follows everyday people from all walks of life as they navigate the cultural, religious, and institutional constraints imposed on them by various social authorities, from schoolteachers to bureaucrats, under the Islamic State of Iran. These stirring vignettes, humorous and affecting, capture the spirit and determination of people living with adversity, offering a nuanced portrait of a complex society.

February 17, 2024

2:30 pm–4:15 pm: A Revolution on Canvas

Directed by Sara Nodjoumi and Till Schauder (USA, 2023, 95 min.). Farsi and English with English subtitles.

With this bracing doc, Till Schauder and Sara Nodjoumi delve into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of more than 100 "treasonous" paintings by Nodjoumi's father, seminal Iranian modern artist Nicky Nodjoumi.

When the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art exhibited paintings by Nodjoumi shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, religious hardliners ambushed the work, sparking a family journey filled with art, survival, estrangement, and love. This hybrid political thriller and verité portrait illuminates the past 50 years of Iran's political history through the lens of a censored and celebrated artist.

February 22, 2024

7:00 pm–8:45 pm: The Persian Version

Directed by Maryam Keshavarz (USA, 2023, 107 min.). English and Farsi with English subtitles.

Winning both the Audience Award and the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, this film by writer-director-producer Maryam Keshavarz delivers a universal and timely story of the Iranian and Iranian American experience with this crowd-pleasing comedy.

With a family that straddles two conflicting cultures, Iranian American Leila (Layla Mohammadi) strives to find balance and embrace her opposing cultures while boldly challenging the labels society is so quick to project upon her. When her family reunites in New York City for her father's heart transplant, Leila keeps her family members at arm's length in an effort to avoid lectures and judgement about her lifestyle. But as time goes by, Leila begins to see the distinct parallels between her life and that of her mother, Shireen (Niousha Noor). Punctuated by a bright color palette, snappy comedy, and vibrant dance numbers, The Persian Version delivers an honest portrayal of a woman who remains unapologetically herself, blended seamlessly into a heartfelt story about family, belonging, and the undeniable influence of pop music.

March 2, 2024

2:30 pm–4:00 pm: Winners

Directed by Hassan Nazer (UK, 2022, 85 min.). Farsi with English subtitles.

While gathering trash in the desert near their small Iranian village, a nine-year-old cinephile and his friend uncover a certain statuette of a golden man. Though the children are unfamiliar with the Academy Awards, they sense the statue's importance and set out to solve the mystery of its origin and significance. Luckily, a local man knows a great deal about the movies due to a secret past. As he helps the children to reunite the award with its distinguished owner, he gives them—and the audience—a crash course in Iranian cinema history.

Date: February 16-17, 22 and March 2, 2024

Cost:
Members: $12.00
Nonmembers: $15.00

Location:
Museum of Fine Arts Boston,
(Harry and Mildred Remis Auditorium (Auditorium 161)
465 Huntington Avenue,
Boston, MA 02115.

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