A Gaze through the Veil:

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the Shah and it was also seen as a Western import which was attempting to corruptyoung Iranians minds. In the years prior to the revolution, an assault was taken oncinema. One hundred and eighty cinemas were set alight, 400 spectators were killedby fire in a cinema where the doors had been locked from the outside. After theseattacks many film directors thought that film in Iran had reached its end. But as thegovernment saw the potential for its use in propaganda, many films began to beproduced by government controlled institutes. Although the censorship policy was atits strictest just after the revolution and many film directors had been put underscrutiny or banned, the film industry still continued.The film director Abhas Kiarostami who has been critically acclaimed in the Westand has been described by critics as representing the highest level of artistry in cinemais not as highly acclaimed in Iran. His films have not been shown in the country forover ten years, as they address taboo issues such as prostitution, suicide and divorce.To have films banned for addressing such themes is difficult to comprehend from aWesterners point of view, as these issues arise not only in cinema but in dailytelevision in most countries. By applying such strict censorship, one has to feel thatthe Iranian government are shielding there people from issues that arise in everydaylife, although they do not comply to Islamic values they are still very much present inthe modern world and I feel to taboo these issues is to ignore issues that are prominentin everyday society.Another director Mohsen Makhmalbaf films have endured a similar fate. One of hisfilms was banned as it portrayed adultery without condemnation. A leader from theCouncil of Guardians declared “In the name of art, a creeping movement has beenstarted which is a serious threat to the Islamic Republic, to the committed artists, andto the revolution.”(Callamard, 2006, p.19) The government released a guideline ofrules which states what can be shown in film, these guidelines are continuouslychanging and many directors have chosen not to comply with these rules. Most of theartists that reject these rules are internationally renown and do not rely on the Iraniangovernment for financial support, they also do not want to have to censor therecreativity. Jajar Panahi is one of these artists and has every one of his films banned inIran, but he justifies this by stating that,
When you make a film, you primarily want to show it in yourown country, where you made the film, but you should not beafraid of the people who try to stop or ban your film, becauseyou start to censor yourself, and then it’s another film.Sometimes self-censorship is worse than actual censorship, sowhen I make a film I don’t think about what is allowed andnot allowed. (Callamard, 2006, p.20)Recently we have seen the success of the film Persepolis directed by Marjane Satrapisand Vincent Paronnaud. Persepolis is an adaptation of Satrapis graphic novel. Thefilm is based on the life of the young Satrapis who was born in Iran; the film showsthe girls life from the age of seven to twenty three. The film displays the struggle forthis young girl growing up in Iran during the fall of the Shah, the Revolution and theestablishment of the Fundamentalist regime. The child featured in the film is calledMarji, she is the alter-ego of Satrapis, she shows the personal and political repressionexperienced while growing up in Iran. We see a rebellious child growing up in anoppressive society, which then out of fear her parents send her to Austria, hereSatrapis displays how the child is still an exile and must deal with the racism of theWest, here Satrapis “punctures the myth of the oppressed escaping to freedom andliving happily ever after.” (Davies, 2007, p58)Fig.1. Persepolis, Film Still, 2007.
Page 4 and 5: Introduction“In any society, the
Page 6 and 7: Chapter One: The Oppressed and the
Page 8 and 9: fundamentalist values. Khomeini sta
Page 10 and 11: In June 1993, sixty Hezbollahis att
Page 12 and 13: depicted wearing the chador and eve
Page 16 and 17: Fig.2. Persepolis, Film Still, 2007
Page 18 and 19: Chapter Two: Repressed or PowerfulI
Page 20: the men.” (Tenaglia, 2002, p.97)
Page 25 and 26: Chapter Three: Structures of Oppres
Page 27 and 28: One would agree with this viewpoint
Page 29 and 30: oundaries. They pray, beat drums an
Page 31 and 32: Iran. It shows us the separation of
Page 33 and 34: Shirin Neshat’s work deals with i
Page 36 and 37: Reference ListBalaghi, S. (2002)
Page 38: Tenaglia, S. (2002) ‘The Power of

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