Film Screening, Perspectives: De Mandeeërs (Iran)& Cinema Azadi
In an attempt to bridge the gap between people and to give a stage to unheard stories, De Voorkamer is organizing this event about Ahwaz as part of the Perspectives' project.
During this event we will show two documentaries which are related to the habitats of the Arabs from Iran.
The Mandaeans (40 min)
This documentary is about the Mandaeans (Arabic: الصابئة المندائيون) who are an ethnoreligious group indigenous to the alluvial plain of southern Mesopotamia and are followers of Mandaeism, a Gnostic religion. Part of this ethnoreligious group is living in Ahwaz City. They face certain issues that are comparable to the issues that Arabs face in the same city and region. Kefah Allush, a Palestinian Dutch editor, producer, director and presenter, got exceptional access to Iran and to this community. The majority of the Mandaeans has been displaced over time by violence and discrimination. The 'hard core' of Mandaeans in Iran is trying, almost against better judgment, to protect and preserve their age-old religion, culture and tradition. The Mandaeans try to be as unobtrusive as possible, but suddenly become very visible during their special baptismal rituals in the local river; a special phenomenon in strict Islamic Iran. The documentary gives insight into the habitat of different ethnic, religious and ethnoreligious groups of Southwest Iran.
Cinema Azadi (28 min)
Cinema Azadi is a short documentary about the history of one specific cinema in the province of Khuzestan. This documentary is made by Mehdi Torfi. 'Cinema Azadi' has been featured in a number of international film festivals including those in Bulgaria and the UAE and many viewers and cinematic critics welcomed the documentary. The central topic of this documentary is the cinema in Susangerd (Khafajia in Arabic), and Torfi is showing the history of this cinema, but more important the cultural and social value of this cinema in the region. In the documentary many aspects of the Arab culture of the Ahwazi Arabs are shown.
Language:
The first movie in Arabic/Farsi/Mandaic, subtitled in Dutch.
The second one is in Arabic and subtitled in English.
Doors open: 19:00
Start screening: 19:30
Free entrance
Do you have a question? Drop us a line.
Date : 19 April, 2019
Time : 19:00 - 21:30
Location : De Voorkamer, Kanaalstraat 225
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