Introduction

Raf Cinema Project

Many respected film critics have cited Iranian cinema as one of the most distinctive and singular cinemas in the world. Many Iranian filmmakers have been recognized and awarded numerous times by prominent international film festivals and academies, and have also succeeded in gaining the attention of critics and audiences around the world, despite all the odds. In spite of all that, some corners of Iranian cinema remain unknown to international film enthusiasts. In this series of posts, we aim to introduce eminent filmmakers, influential films and important topics surrounding Iranian cinema. We will dedicate the first weeks to introducing great and influential Iranian filmmakers and exploring their styles and themes. Afterwards, we’ll focus on overlooked and underrated Iranian filmmakers and try to briefly and accurately introduce their body of work. Popular Iranian cinema and its recurring themes will be our topic in the coming months, and later, we’ll try to introduce non-Iranian audiences to genres, cycles and various periods of Iranian films. Acting, cinematography, cinematic atmospheres, historical events and socio-political subtexts of Iranian cinema will be among future topics for this project.