Khanevade: Portraits of Iranian Americans
Followed by a discussion with filmmaker Armon Mahdavi, journalist Farnoush Amiri, and scholar Mohsen Mobasher moderated by programmer Nick Kouhi In its 250-year history, the United States has been enormously influenced by Iran’s culture and history. Poets like Hafez and Sa’adi guided the words and thoughts of Benjamin Franklin, Henry David Thoreau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, while Americans like Howard Baskerville played a critical role in the Constitutional Revolution that marked the end of the Qajar Dynasty. Khanevade: Portraits of Iranian Americans examines everyday stories of Iranians who have rebuilt their lives in the U.S. and contributed significantly to its civic and cultural life, while navigating questions of belonging and identity. This program features a trio of documentary works shaped by empathetic, quotidian portraits of Iranian American communities, featuring: Norouz: Persian Spring Festival Dir. Majid Rahnema. 1961, 20 mins. U.S. This revealing time capsule of the Bay Area in the 1960s, showcasing the presence of Iranian American families and communities nearly 20 years before the revolution. Best in the West Dir. Maryam Kashani. 2006, 70 mins. U.S. Director Kashani examines the lives of four lifelong friends who studied in the United States with humor, warmth, and bittersweetness. Shot on 16mm film, super 8, and miniDV, the film uses archival footage, photos, and a soundtrack of Iranian and American R&B and funk to create a tapestry of lives and culture. Untitled, Jackson Heights Dir. Armon Mahdavi. 2024, 4 mins. U.S. This experimental personal documentary examines public spaces in Queens through a poignant, epistolary voiceover correspondence from a mother to her child.