Iran in Focus: 'Taxi Tehran' (2015)

(Written as part of an imaginary Iranian Film Festival Programme, Spring 2016)

(Taxi Tehran)

Featuring on many greatest films of 2015 lists, Jafar Panahi’s exquisite documentary-esque film was welcomed with international claim picking up the top prize at the 65th Berlin International film festival. Panahi is regarded as one of the great Iranian directors along with Abbas Kiarostrami, and has had a massive influence on Iranian filmmakers like Akbari and huge European directors such as Michael Haneke and Werner Herzog.

In a perfectly crafted cinematic experiment Panahi plays himself driving a taxi around Tehran with hidden cameras in whilst he documents naturalistic conversations with the diverse people of Tehran, which is at times both hilarious and heart-wrenching. By taking a position of a documentary we are able to look at a portrait of Tehran, and the social constructions, traditions, and values which shape Iran.

What is most poignant about this film is the fact that since 2010 Panahi has been banned from making films in Iran and banned from travelling too. Taxi Tehran is a statement of artistic defiance, powerfully questioning Iran’s current clamping down on artistic freedom which is threatening to damage their culture. Like Akbari, Panahi is a symbol of defiance in the name of freedom and cinema.

We also have an introduction presented by legendary filmmaker Ken Loach. Loach, an avid fan of Panahi, is also set to talk about the universal cinematic style of social realism which has a deep history in both Iranian cinema and British cinema, showing that our cinema has more in common with Iran than one may at first think. We close this year’s festival on a note of artistic liberation through the medium of cinema.