Iran's So Far Away

By Scott Smith in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 4, 2004 4:40PM

Love is often cited as the international language and that’s certainly a nice, romantic sentiment. Despite this universal emotion, it’s often difficult to bridge the gaps between disparate cultures (the summer you spent in Barcelona with Mauricio notwithstanding). This is especially true when one of those cultures accuses the other of being a portion of an “axis of evil.” *ahem* More often it is the arts, especially a visual medium like film, that helps to bring understanding to groups separated by ocean, religion or worldview. So Chicagoist says As-salaam-Alaikum to the Gene Siskel Film Center for presenting the Festival of Films From Iran running throughout October.

With the Chicago International Film Festival starting this week (look for a rundown on it in this space tomorrow), this series might get lost in
the shuffle which would be a dirty shame. Though unimaginatively titled, this fest is "the largest and longest-running showcase for Iranian Cinema in the U.S.,” according to the Center's website. It includes a festival sidebar of documentaries entitled Films from the Iranian Diaspora directed by Iranian-Americans living in the U.S. For context, a panel on that other international language entitled "Romantic Love and the Family in Iranian Cinema” will be held on October 23rd featuring Iranian film scholars and directors of some of the films at the Fest. The evening wraps up with a party in the gallery featuring food, drinks and Shervin, Chicago’s foremost Iranian entertainer.

Yeah, we’re dying to know more information on Shervin too. But so far Chicagoist has come up empty. Thanks for nothing, Google.