cinema trust Tina Jalali wrote in Etamad newspaper:
In the last few years, a strange thing that is seen a lot in Iranian cinema and has raised questions is that some well-known filmmakers in the social field (Kianoush Ayari, Mohsen Amiriousfi, etc.) turned to making comedy films and distanced themselves from their main concern and thinking. took, an important issue that shows the strange domination of comedy films on Iranian cinema and is one of the negative aspects of the spread of these films in Iranian cinema.
Of course, making a comedy film is not only not bad, but comedy is one of the most popular and important genres in the world cinema, the issue becomes surprising when the films made by these filmmakers are not as important as their social films, and it is completely clear that they make films out of necessity. They turned to comedy.
Now Kaveh Sajjadi Hosseini, a young filmmaker who is mostly known for making experimental and artistic films, is making a comedy film. Of course, Sajjadi Hosseini is currently releasing the social film “Nobodent” on the screen. We had a conversation with him about the problems of social cinema and how he turned to making a comedy film.
TheAre you making a comedy movie?
Yes, I am currently making a comedy film.
TheOf course, the variety of genres can be seen in the work of every filmmaker and it is not unlikely. I asked this question because, in the last two or three years, some filmmakers who made social and experimental films started making comedies, why? What is your analysis of this situation?
The fact is that I cannot comment on others, because I am not in their lives and thoughts, but the most important reason is that the production license is not given to social films, and this makes the filmmaker who wants to make a film, forced to go for simpler films, of course. There are few such filmmakers in cinema.
TheHow did you become interested in this genre?
But about myself, I can say that years before when telefilms were common, in 1985, I made a fantasy comedy film in which Mrs. Soheila Golestani and Babak Hamidian were the main roles of this film, whose first works were in acting and they played the main role, it was a comedy film that A very good time was seen on TV.
TheWith endless names?
Yes, the same years when TV was attractive and people watched it. Of course, I must say that I have warned myself against making comedies in these years, especially comedies that are superficial.
TheCan you explain more?
For example, I was supposed to make Texas 1, at that time Mr. Amerian had just arrived in Iran, but we did not reach the desired result with Mr. Amerian regarding the script and we parted very amicably.
TheDidn’t you want to make it?
Maybe I was wrong, if I had made that movie today, I wouldn’t be a renter now, and I wouldn’t be paying the rent for myself and my mother, and I wouldn’t have to pay for the heavy living expenses so hard. In any case, according to Shamlou’s words, “If grief gives bread”, I want to say that grief does not allow us to create the work we want, this is one case. The second point is the conditions, that is, the conditions do not allow it at all, I have 5 social scripts that are ready to be made, both from my own point of view and from the point of view of those who read the scripts, they are very attractive, story-telling and even if they are made, they are audience-friendly, but they are willing to invest. It is not to make a social film.
The production costs are high, I want to say that the production conditions make us turn to a film that investors are interested in, of course, you can wait and endure the hardships, but I have seen my hardships in these years and I suffered a lot in these years. I have the responsibility of two families on my shoulders and this difficulty makes me unwilling and unable to make what I want, but every film I make under compulsion, I make it out of my desire and interest and I am a believer in that film.
But I emphasize that if I make a comedy film, it is not a conventional comedy film, I try to make a different kind of comedy that was lost years ago, which means to be in the genre and to be in the dark and social comedy atmosphere. I still think that this film that I am making now is a social film, but it moves forward with a humorous look and glasses, and the good actors of Iranian cinema are present in this film, and some of the actors in this film are only in They have acting in the comedy film, but in this film, the type of their acting is almost different, and a good script that has been carefully rewritten seven or eight times, I want to say that it is not a cheap film to make just to make money. We were really careful and spent a lot of time and effort. In this sense, I can say that my salary is not even different from artistic work, because we spent a lot of time and energy. It is important for me that I make a social comedy film that is the right thing.
TheThe point that comes up in the middle is that comedy cinema has a good return at the box office, and considering the increase in production costs (20 to 30 billion) and the desire of producers to make comedy films, this issue is an alarm for cinema. Another opinion that exists is that the audience’s interest in other genres may be lost and they may not be interested in social movies and other genres and watching comedy movies will become a habit. What is your opinion?
In any case, the movies that are currently being produced that vaccinate the investor in the sense that it eases the producer’s imagination from the return of the investment and the least loss is the sleep of his capital, are comedy films. We can’t really hide it, we have few social films that can sell and make a profit. As a result, the most important thing that happens is the investor’s concern about the return of the investment, and this makes the comedy film to be produced. Various are produced on platforms that mostly have a dark and bitter and social atmosphere, and these series have viewers, that is, people see and are welcomed. If everyone were to make comedies, these kinds of series would be lost.
I think that if cinema is supported and we force people towards social and serious storytelling cinema, which by the way, people like this kind of movies more, other genres will flourish. You look at the huge number of people who watch Jam and Turkish series, and these series are not comedies at all, they are all melodramas with a populist approach and with the simplicity of the story with the theme of love and the plot points that are narrated in the most clichéd way possible, but it has an audience, in my opinion. Let’s make films that will be supported.
TheHow is this support?
I don’t know, I don’t really know what kind of support it would be, but like making less commissioned films and more community films, that would keep people coming back. It is the people themselves who make cinema not go bankrupt, so if good social films are produced, people will welcome them. If they still welcome comedy, it’s because they have no choice but to watch comedy movies, because social movies are currently bland and featureless and have nothing to say.
TheIn your opinion, what are the difficulties and obstacles of making social films that should be overcome in order to reduce the production of underground films.
A big part of the investment is that there is no budget to make a social film, the second point is the production license. When the production license is not issued for social films and the stigma of blackness is put on the scripts, realism is interpreted as blackness. Well, let’s put our hands on anything, we can’t narrate a situation, out of the thirty-six drama situations that exist in the country, we can use few situations in the script for the development of drama and character, that’s why everything gets in the way. that the social story is lost, for example, when we want to narrate a character who is suffering from a crisis and psychological damage, this character may do things that are wrong in terms of custom. It is, but it has to be narrated in order to create a character, and at the end we conclude that a person is bad, so he sees the result of his actions. When he cannot do bad things in the first place, how can we stop his actions and develop a character. In fact, prevention and censorship causes films to be made without words and looks, without any smell and character, which are useless, and on the other hand, underground films are made that can speak. My point is that realism is different from blackness.
This stigma of blackness causes rich and deep social films to be destroyed and superficial social films to be made that the audience rejects. Today’s audience is smart and understands that these films without social characteristics are whitewashing rather than social films.
TheOf course, the space is going to be opened in the new period.
They tried in the previous period as well, but yes, I agree and I am sure that stronger steps will be taken in this period and we will see the support of the cinema.
TheLet’s talk about the movie “Absence”, how was the process of making this movie? Did you build without permission and stealth?
No, I did not build secretly, we applied for a construction permit. With a letter from the Producers’ Association, I officially got a producer’s license, I gave the producer’s letter to the Ministry of Guidance, and I got full marks in the Ministry of Guidance for producing my first film and directing my fourth film.
According to friends, the script was approved in the production permit council and the production permit was supposed to be issued, and we started the film knowing that the production permit was going to be issued. Amir Aghaei was in the lead of a series and we had to develop the film, we knew that the production license would be issued.
Since I was my first producer, I went through a difficult situation. Two people from the Production Licensing Council, who happen to be cinema producers, stuck with me and caused the film file to come out from the Production Licensing Council, and it was considered a violation of the producer. No matter how hard I tried to convince them honestly, but they didn’t believe me, we had started our work and we were filming and the movie had been started for ten days and I couldn’t stop the work. I made the film, but it was rejected.
They didn’t give me a license and said they don’t give a license and give a video license, but thanks to Mr. Ruhollah Sohrabi, I was able to get a production license and the film was seen in the festival and was nominated. I think it was a miracle and God loved me that Mr. Sohrabi, one of the directors at the time, helped me. I thank God.
TheDid you face many obstacles to make the film? Was the script censored and audited?
No, there were not many obstacles to make, because I had made the film, but in the release, some sequences were removed. The relationship between Sahar Daulatshahi and Amir Aghaei and the formation of the story were removed, and the inference was made that why does a married woman have a relationship with a man?
If the man, or Amir Aghaei, helps Sahar Dolatshahi to find her husband, they did not let it go and said that these sequences should be taken out.
They said to remove the smoking of women and men, which was so difficult that I had to remove the smoking one by one. It had to be done in such a way that both the story and the sequences were deleted.
But I was under so much pressure that I tried to get this film approved because of my commitment to the investor. I didn’t want to insist on not deleting the sequences and I didn’t insist, because it was important to me that my investor was kind to me and stood behind me and still stands (Mr. Engineer Saeed Mehrabakhsh). I wanted at least the movie to be released, I gave myself up for this movie to be screened.
As a director, what do you think about the criticisms of the film, its rhythm is slow and…?
They say that the rhythm of the film is slow, I think that if we see the film through the glasses of action films, thrillers or social dramas that tell stories, we lose the atmosphere, but if we see the film through the glasses of space and artistic atmosphere, that is, the cinema that waves the atmosphere. And it focuses on the details and the movie is supposed to engage you with its mode, that’s when the story and drama stand out. It is obvious that this criticism is made, we should not think that we are going to be entertained to watch “Your Absence”, because we are not supposed to be entertained. Absence is not a fun movie, it’s a movie you have to think about and when the movie ends, the movie just starts in your mind.
If I was going to make a story-telling film with external drama, I could accept criticism, but criticism is not acceptable, the same criticism was given to the film “Buffalo”, but after two years, everyone said what a good film it is. In my opinion, “Absence” moves forward compared to the current atmosphere of Iranian cinema. It means that it moves forward, not to be carried away with self-praise, it means a form of world and European cinema that is closer to my film, for example, you see the slow rhythm of Nouri Bigale Jilan’s films, and he is not criticized. You are the audience of Jilan movies, so you watch slow movies and you accept them, but if you see a slow rhythm movie at once, these criticisms will be raised. For me, any opinion is constructive, whether positive or negative, and I will definitely accept it if it is correct.
TheHow is the screening status?
Very good, very good, it doesn’t get better than this, all the screenings are given to us and no comedy films are released. Your question is like if we are in war and bombardment and say how are you? It is clear that I am not well, it is clear that the release status of my film is not good, in this environment, why should the cinema owner release my film and why should he give a chance to my film and why should the broadcaster try to see my film. We don’t have advertisements, we didn’t get any support, the film is released in a secret, only to be released and finished. If we had advertisements, the film would have been able to handle itself, because there are good stars in this film, but unfortunately the conditions of the screening are not good at all due to the accident, I don’t want to whine and say whose fault it is. No, it is no one’s fault, in my opinion, social cinema, whether it is my film or other films, the same trouble will happen to it as long as the mafia and the system that is supposed to support the comedy film and the comedy film must stand so that only the films profit and the cinema Do not consider it as culture.