If you saw 'Heavy Metal In Baghdad' a couple of years ago, you'll know that it is near impossible to be a rock & roll musician in an country that is ruled by Islamic law. Bahman Ghobadi's grim,but fine film,'Kasi az gorbehaye Irani khabar nadareh',released in English speaking countries as 'No One Knows About Persian Cats' will certainly cement that reputation. Filmed on the fly in something like 17 days, without official government say so (which actually did land some of the crew in jail),with borrowed camera equipment (most,if not all films shot in Iran have to be filmed with official government equipment). The results:the film is officially banned in Iran (big surprise?---no surprise,what so ever). The story concerns a cadre of young Iranians who want to form a band to rock out & bring joy to fellow young Iranians (heavens forbid!!!). Most of the film centers on Negar Shaghaghi & Ashkan Koshanejad (playing themselves),two budding indie rockers who form a band with the hopes of playing a big open air festival in London,England (and to get the hell out of Iran,forever). With the help of Nadar (played by Hamed Behdad),a kindly,but not too trust worthy sort who wants to act as manager of the band (he deals in bootlegged/pirated DVD's),tries to get Visas & Passports for everybody in the band. Will Negar & Ashkan see their hopes come to some sort of fruition,or will government censorship of popular culture throw the usual roadblock in their way?. Bahman Gobadi (A Time For Drunken Horses),in addition to directing,co writes the screenplay with his girl friend,Roxanne Saben (who was recently released from a jail sentence for spying),as well as set designer. I admired the film's documentary look (key scenes are shot with hand held cameras),with some fast cut editing. A film to get your dander up & make you think (and pity)the poor souls who have to deal with the daily dose of government b.s. Spoken in Farsi & Persian with English subtitles. Not rated by the MPAA,this film contains a bit of drug abuse,and a couple of unfortunate deaths
Review of No One Knows About Persian Cats
