UCLA CELEBRATION OF IRANIAN CINEMA

The power of the moving image to connect people otherwise distanced by cultural, political and national divides has been embodied nowhere more profoundly over the last several decades than in the humanism, artistry and courage of Iranian filmmakers. UCLA Film & Television Archive has been presenting the best of their work in this annual survey for almost thirty years and it does so again this year with a renewed sense of purpose.

Our current series includes films from new voices, current masters and a special tribute to one of contemporary cinema’s most influential and important artists, Abbas Kiarostami. Each, in their own way, reflects the complex realities of contemporary Iran and the Iranian diaspora, while their storytelling resonates beyond specific contexts to universal experiences that unite us all as viewers and human beings.

There has always been a vital need for such a cinema, and the Archive will always be a home for it and the artists who create it. It is anticipated that some filmmakers will appear in person, wherever possible, to discuss their work. Please check the UCLA Film and Television Archive website for updates on in-person guests, and to purchase tickets.

All films from Iran and in Persian, except where noted.