Drunk with Cinema

Bahman Ghobadi is not just in love with cinema, he's "drunk with cinema." The Kurdish Iranian filmmaker is known for his honest and often brutal depictions of Kurdish lives on the border towns of Iraq, Iran and Turkey. But his latest creation, No One Knows About Persian Cats, is a deceivingly hopeful film about underground music in Tehran, Iran—where DIY is not just a lifestyle choice but a life necessity in a country of total censorship, where dubious jail sentences are handed out like parking tickets.

Ghobadi and his crew spent seventeen days shooting illegally, meeting with, hearing stories and filming real musicians, from rappers and traditional Iranian singers to indie rock, metal and funk bands, all while telling the story of a young couple, desperately trying to form a band, acquire Green cards and book a concert in London. The crew faced hardships that most filmmakers will never face. Ghobadi talks about his reasons for making the film in this interview and the two main actors discuss their roles and sense of responsibility in keeping the arts alive in Iran in another one.

Learn more about the life and work of Ghobadi here.