Asian-Arab Film Festival

‘This is not a Film’
Abhijit Ghosh-Dastidar

New Delhi's Asian-Arab Film Festival (July/Aug, 2012), con ducted by Osians Cine Fan, revived after a gap of two years with special focus on contemporary cinema, Indian mosaic, freedom of creative expression and tributes to India's late Mani Kaul and Japan's Koji Wakamatsu and Masao Adachi. The Festival created a forum for courageous individuals, on both sides of the lens.

Jafar Panahi's "This is not a Film" (Iran/France,2011, colour 75 mins) was made clandestinely. The persecuted director's somber film is in defiance of the regime that has forbidden him for making movies for twenty-one years. Majatha Mirtahmasb's camera follows Panahi under house arrest, waiting for a verdict to a court appeal, made after he was sentenced in January,2011, to six years in prison, for allegedly planning to make a movie, about the protests that followed the 2009 presidential election. A tribute to the new media and technology world, this is a film that could not have been made, or should not have been made. Panahi is at the breakfast table in his apartment. He has a mobile phone, the outer varandah is visible, and sounds of low intensity gunfire drift from outside. The film maker is stuck in a problem and waiting for the right moment to start. Within the single frame, fixed camera, Panahi's bedroom can be spotted. His wife calls on the mobile, and the brief conversation is on their son. Panahi peeps from the toilet, the phone caller's voice heightened. Panahi dresses up, moves to the kitchen and prepares tea. He washes leaves and herbs for a large spider. Cheese is offered to the geek. Mrs Gheylot, the advocate, informs on telephone, that the appeals court has not yet decided, and the verdict is awaited. A complementary judgment on the banning of making films by Panahi for five years, is also expected. The higher court never completely overrules a punishment. Nobody knows what would happen. A court confirms or reduces sentence. Panahi speaks to the camera on domestic cinema having a community appeal. The court rulings are one hundred percent political, and not logical.

Panahi ponders on Andrei Tarkovsky's "Mirror". Stills from "Mirror" are interspersed. A little girl, Misha, protests that the bus is going the wrong way, after school; and wants to throw away the entire film crew, shooting "Mirror". Panahi's film enrolls with the shooting, recording and sound behind the Iranian authorities, as if not making a film. Inside the rooms, there is too much of sunlight. Panahi's last screenplay was not approved by the authorities. He reads out the screenplay. By reading and explaining the screenplay, Panahi creates a new image for the viewer—a film which the viewer has not seen. He talks to a visitor whose face is not seen. The film is about a girl, trying to get entrance to a university. He finds it easier to relate screenplay to the viewer. Spontaneously, he exclaims "cut", but remember he is not directing, as it would be an offence. With gestures, he acts and continues reading the script. He walks around the sitting room and dinning room. The interiors do not match with the script heroine's house. Sticking tapes on the carpet floor, Panahi builds up the girl's room and living space. Pillows indicate a bed, and an astray is pointer to the entrance to the girl's house. The location was found on a journey to Isfahan, Mirtahmasb's camera is handheld. There are restrictions on the 'hijab'. Recent films were shot outdoors, without interiors.

The subjects for filming are sketched. All shooting is planned on location filming. The authorities would storm and seize footage. An old man rings the bell, and visits. Even the alley is shot in a fixed frame situation. An old woman wakes up people, and whines about ill health. Panahi is curious about matches amongst neighbourhood boys and girls. The camera angles vary, as he lies on the floor, depicting a girl lying down. Maryam is annoyed that if one could tell a film, why make a film. Food packets are delivered. Panahi puts on a video of an Iranian film "Crimson Hold". As the camera makes a close up of the video screen, he elucidates details to amateur actors. A film must first be made, and explained later. Panahi realizes that what one is doing is itself a lie. A DVD cycles his "Circle". Film is turning to a major work of art. A girl is running on the video screen. Panahi is on a personal computer. Most websites are filtered, and others do not say much. A spider crawls around. The House of Cinema is in support of the Revolution. Sounds of distant gun shots float. Wife Tahareh calls informing that she has spoken to the lawer, about the court serial number of the case. Film makers have made an appeal. Panahi cries "Cut". There are ruminations on Chekov's "A Girl's Notes" where a girl falls in love with a boy, and does not want to pursue university education. The girl is locked up in a room. A mobile phone camera tracks Panahi as he sits on the floor and relates. Tapes are removed from the floor.

Frontier
Vol. 45, No. 20, Nov 25-Dec 1, 2012

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