This kind of news really irks me, but I’ll be the first to say that I don’t always understand and fathom how various countries in the world operate differently from the United States.
For example, at the Olympics this year, you learned about some of these young gymnastic girls who were sent from their homes at the ages of 3 or 4 to facilities that turn their childhood and young adult lives into training for gold medal victories.
I can’t imagine what that would be like.
This week we posted the trailer for Body of Lies, which not only has Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe, but also a 25-year old, award-winning actress from Iran named Golshifteh Farahani.
Then we followed it up with a short little bio on what she’s done because of the rabid interest we’ve received on Pop Critics from Iranian fans.
Now we have more news about Farahani. According to Yahoo and IRNA (the Iran state news agency), the young actress has been banned from leaving the country by authorities.
It happened at the airport as she was on her way to America in order to look at an offer for another movie role. What an exciting moment for her to have taken away so quickly.
According to the article, Iranian actors have to obtain a special permit from the ministry of culture and Islamic guidance in order to appear in foreign films.
Apparently she bypassed that the first time, even though the article doesn’t say much about it. If she got stopped on her way out, it’s easy to deduce that she must have snuck out in order to appear in Body of Lies.
Not only is it her first appearance in a non-Iranian film, but it’s also the first time an Iranian actress has appeared in a Hollywood production period.
She’s also been attacked by Iranian conservative newspapers who didn’t like her work in a movie called Santouri, which they felt cast a negative image of Iranian society and its drug problems.
Of course, the article says that drug problem affects two million people living there.
These newspapers may ultimately be responsible for her being banned from leaving, as two days ago they criticized her for appearing in Body of Lies and asked why authorities had not taken action.
Can you imagine that?
I know our culture is so very different here in America, and I don’t try to judge what other countries do, but it’s sad when a person’s freedom to choose whether or not they want to appear in a movie is controlled by a government or religion system.
I hope that she somehow gets the permit and is able to leave her country to see what the rest of the world has to offer. From all the praises I’ve heard about her acting talents, not to mention the fact that she is fluent in English and French, there is no doubt in my mind that she’d be successful in non-Iranian movies.
[Yahoo]
We do take many of our innate American freedoms for granted…
I have to disagree on the non-judgement of other cultures based on the belief that all people have an inherent worth and value to deny that on a basis of culture is wrong. But I believe in universal truths as well. Ohmmmm. Its unfortuate the government feels the need to exert such control, such insecurity. Sure its too bad she can't leave Iran, but I can't go to Cuba either. I am sure there are larger human right issues in Iran, just ask someone who is gay, oh wait there aren't any homosexuals in Iran.
[...] Golshifteh Farahani Banned from Leaving IranThis week we posted the trailer for Body of Lies, which not only has Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe, but also a 25-year old, award-winning actress from Iran named Golshifteh Farahani. Then we followed it up with a short little bio … [...]
She can't come here and that sucks. Then again, it's against the law for an American corporation to do business in Iran, so unless you wanted to set up an offshore front company, you couldn't, for example, take your small production company and make a movie in Iran.
Then too, if you put on an academic conference, you might not be able to invite all the speakers you wanted because the State Department might deny them visas.
“Not only is it her first appearance in a non-Iranian film, but it’s also the first time an Iranian actress has appeared in a Hollywood production period.” I thought the mother of the terrorist kid from 24 a season or 2 ago was Iranian….?
It sucks that she can't play in the movie.It's a huge opportunity for her they can't take it from her!!
golshifte jo0o0o0o0on akhareshi baba
It is very tragic.
There are many talented people (in art, business.etc)that are stopped by stupid govermentman in iran. Iranians can see other belief and lifestyle in the net or other media, but can't choose except order of goverment.
salam golshifteh omidvaram har rooz ghadam jadidi ro be roshd bardari doset daram be onvane iek irani eftekhar mikonam .
faghat omidvaram irani va mosalman bodanet ro fadaie hich chizi to donia nakoni.
Thank you
M.Asgari
they say its not firmed yet.i hope so…
I wouldn't expect anything less from the Iranian government. To allow her that freedom would be to acknowledge that she has options outside of Iran…something I doubt they're likely to do.
see more pictures of movie: http://www.filmco.blogfa.com
golshifteye aziz aslan be khodet gam nayar,ma hame bahatim va doset darim(amir)
hello mahshid _salam man ye mogei ye hamkelasi dashtam ba name mahshid shoma nistin? man amiram(mr_bayrami@yahoo.com)
im from iran … the difference between our countries is that : our governor cant be popular like urs … maybe this example made it easier to understand : ur governor order to create mouvies like iron man to say that ” we must attak and give other countries peace and freedom ” … ur governor propagate conferences and articles and movies to say that ” we must attak ” . ours dont do that , cuz they know about their people confident about anything they say or do …
of course the articles says after ur governors attak to afghanestan they make 700% more drugs and their interview with terror leaders is now shrill like the morning light … dont forget that ur country is the reason for our horror … we dont like war ! sorry if i was political
THANK U FOR UNDERSTANDING OUR CULTURE. OF COURSE I AM PROUDE OF golshifteh AND HER CAREER. SHE HAS A SPECIAL THOUGHT THAT MAKES HER TO LIVE SIMPLE . YOU CAN GET IT ON HER FACE AND HER NOT DOING MAKE-UPS. THIS IS FAVORITE FOR SOME PEOPLE IN IRAN.
salaam golshifteh jooooooooooooooooooooooon aali bood sarbolandemoon kardi agar baaz ham emkaani paydaa kardi hatman boro hattaa shode faraar ham koni boro. in emkaan baraaye har kasi pish nemiyad va tooye iraan ham nemitooni bishtar az ye andaazehee roshd koni.
i love u so much
I just watched the movie ” body of lies” tonight. Golshifteh is wonderful in this movie, eventhough she is just in 4 or 5 scenes. It's really sad that to see someone like her talented and smart can not get what world can offer her.
I hope that all this banned thing goes away Enshaallah (God's willing , I guess) :).
Go Golshifteh, you Rock!
Iranians are one of the smartest people and they are the best we ahave the best country the best everything EXEPT THE GOVERNOR OR ALL THE PEOPLE LIKE KHAMENI AND ALL THOSE SHIT PEOPLE THAT CAN SUCK MY ….
no!!
Iran had many kings (shahs) over the centuries before the Islamic Revolution in 1979. The present 'Islamic' regime is an historical aberration in comparison to the rest of the Islamic era in Iran. It is more like a reaction against Western influence and interference in the country in preceding decades.
What Iran needs is a secular state in which people are not subject to religious laws if they do not believe in that religion or they have a different interpretation. Even though Islam has been in Iran for centuries, it is still an imported religion from the Arabs not native to Persians.
hey , I'm from Iran and I wanna tell you all peaple PLEASE… just what??? yes plz DO NOT tell us what are happening to us and our country or what is our right !!! you're very wrong about us and you do not know any thing about us… they've hacked your minds (and ours too)
many of you think that we travel by camle or donkey! i've seen it! no! open your eyes… we are good enough.we're procucing cars , cellphons ,electronics , nano technology etc…
we are living like you but with very high limitation ang very low level of happyness and fun. we've got many gold medals in many fields , i think in the designing robot field we had medal for footballist robot every year. so… we can think… we are NOT camle! ok? we know our rights… but we can not do any thing… because our governmet is exactly a killer (we can taset and touch it everyday ,even in our family) so they kill us very easily if we talk much (we see it ,but you shouldn't so you don't!!!) and unfortunatly we cant kill… they can but we cant, its the diffrence and we're the loser.
+++
WE CAN NOT KILL , do you you all americans can undrestand??? we AREN'T terorist , we're not killer. it cuz that we can't take our right from government. iranians really cant kill… it is our culture , it's our blief. we dont want war… we hate american government beacause they give chemical bombs to iraq in iran-iraq war! so we don't have problem with the people ,you are human like us and we like you… but we want kill your governmen and ours too. but we dont because we're not killer.