| To compliment Mohammad Reza Shajarian’s highly-anticipated May 4th concert at the Orpheum (see info below), we present the only existing film on Shajarian.
THE VOICE OF IRAN: MOHAMMED REZA SHAJARIAN
May 12-14, Mon: 7:30pm, Tues: 9:30pm, Weds: 7:30pm
DENMARK 2003 // Director: Christian Braad Thomsen // 97 min // DigiBeta
|
|
Mohammad Reza Shajarian is one of the most important world music singers alive. He was awarded the Picasso Prize by UNESCO, a rare honour only given to the greatest, among them Shostakovich, Menuhin and Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn.
In this Danish film, shot during his European tour of 2002, he agreed to be interviewed by a Western filmmaker for the first time.
Shajarian talks extensively about the spiritual world of music and its clash with today’s political reality. And he talks about the art of improvising combined with his love for the traditional Iranian poetry. He is joined by master musicians Hossein Alizadeh on tar and Kayhan Kalhor on kamancheh. Shajarian's son Homayoun Shajarian sings and accompanies on tombak.
Christian Braad Thomsen shoots Shajarian in concert using long, meditative shots, which allow for full concentration on the music. Subtitles provide access to the poetic lyrics. See the film, and don't miss the chance to see Shajarian live!
Caravan World Rhythms presents in Collaboration with the UBC Persian Club and Nava Art Centre Mohammed Reza Shajarian & the Ava Ensemble, May 4, 8:00 pm, Orpheum Theatre. Tickets: ticketmaster.ca, 604-280-4444. www.caravanbc.com.
|
|
"Santouri is a witty, powerful, and honest drama that demands your compassion."— Cinema Without Borders
SANTOURI (THE MUSIC MAN)
May 12-14, Mon: 9:30pm, Tues: 7:15pm, Weds: 9:30pm
IRAN 2007 // Director: Dariush Mehrjui // 106 min // 35mm
|
|
VANCOUVER PREMIERE
"On his way to becoming the Grand Old Man of Iranian cinema, something interesting has happened to Dariush Mehrjui. From his stunning 1969 sophomore feature, The Cow (the first modern Iranian film to reach Western audiences), to The Postman (1972) and The Cycle (1974), Mehrjui was filmmaker enemy No. 1 of the shah's censors, and deeply influential on the generation of filmmakers that came of age after the Islamist revolution.
Following a fine series of mostly conventionally made films about women, Dariush Mehrjui's latest, Santouri (The Music Man), shows that he's absorbed the influences of the youngsters in its story about Ali (Bahram Radan), a popular singer-songwriter and player of the santoor (an ancient stringed instrument played with two small mallets) and the emotional and physical price he pays for his heroin addiction.
There's a loose, fluid rhythm that courses through the film like an elixir, especially in the freeform way Mehrjui shifts between Ali's devastating downward course—set off when he is banned by authorities from playing in public—and his happier past...
Far from serving as some sort of screed against the excesses of a younger generation of artists, Santouri suggests that Iran's current cultural repression and rampant drug addiction are no mere coincidence. "— Robert Koehler, LA Weekly
"Despite the fact that Iranian cinema prohibits touching or any intimate moments between man and a woman, the director uses his creative mind to portray situations in which we can still experience their relationship. Through their laughs, music, eyes, and their quirky rituals, the audiece can feel the love and chemistry between these two characters. And as always, Mehrjui brings depth and dramatic story telling to his films.
With a long list of stunning films in his resume, Mehrjui has been the most influential Iranian director for the past four decades. He is the first director in the history of Iranian cinema to bring out complex characters to his female subjects.
Prior to Mehrjui, Iranian women were always portrayed as one-dimensional characters, but Mehrjui brought life to his female characters and brought us exquisite films like: Pari, Leila, Hamoun and the unforgettable Derakhte Golabi with leading female characters that are multifaceted and complex. Undeniably, Mehrjui is one of the great directors with his traditional poetic style and strong sense of consciousness and reality." — Katayoun Arfrooz, Cinema Without Borders
|
|
Call the FILM INFO LINE: 604.683.FILM (3456)
for the latest info and listings. Tickets can be purchased in advance
on-line at www.vifc.org or
in person 30 minutes before showtime.
Double Bill Pricing!
The Vancity Theatre is offering double bills at a special price. At
just $12 for two films ($10 for Students/Seniors and Bronze and above
members), it's one of the cheapest (and still most comfy) seats in
town!
Note: Double Bill pricing is not
available for online sales. However, you can purchase your first ticket
online at the regular price and get the double-bill price on the second
ticket when you arrive at the box office. Double Bills are two
consecutive films on the same day at the Vancity Theatre; rentals and
Special Events are not included.
Adult tickets: $9.50 (Double Bill - $12)
Student/Senior $7.50 (Double Bill - $10)
Matinees $7.50
Bronze and above members receive a $2
discount on their tickets. (Double Bill - $10)
Silver and above members
also receive a $2 discount for a guest ticket.
As a registered non-profit society, the VIFC screens films that have not always been seen by the BC Film Classification Board. Under BC law, any person wishing to see these unclassified films must belong to the VIFC Society and be 18 years or older. Valid for one year based on the date of purchase, the VIFC basic membership cost is $2.50.
Please note that membership benefits and
restrictions are valid for VIFC presentations only. They are not applicable to Vancity Theatre "Rental" presentations by
other organizations.
For More Membership Information go to http://www.vifc.org/membership.html.
Vancity Theatre is located at 1181 Seymour St. (at
Davie) |
