NO-ONE KNOWS ABOUT PERSIAN CATS

Iran, 2009, 106 minutes, Colour.
Nagar Shagajghi, Ashkan Koashanejad, Ahmed Behdad.
Directed by Bahman Ghobady.

It seems that pets should neither be seen nor heard in Tehran. But, that is a symbol for the underground music movement in the country, neither seen nor heard. Definitely underground.

Kurdish director Bahman Ghobodi has made the fine, award-winning films, A Time for Drunken Horses and Turtles can Fly. However, a project he was working on for two years did not meet with government approval and the project collapsed in a waste of time. Should he make a film about that experience? A lover of music, he decided to make a film about the contemporary music situation (rather than music scene) in Iran, the suspicion of music by Islam and women's singing being prohibited.

With a digital camera and a type of guerrilla filming in 17 days, he has produced a film that dramatises the situation, introduces a number of groups and their song performances (and music video styles) and creates characters who have been imprisoned but who want to sing, who want to leave the country but are unable to get passports and visas, who are the mercy of agents who are at best deviously successful or, at worst, con men who themselves are conned or fall foul of the law.

There is a sympathetic lead, Ashkan. There is one of the most irritating leading ladies, the always suspicious and whining Negar, and the most exuberant amateur entrepreneur with non-stop patter, a way with persuasion and a claim to be knowledgable about the movies and movie stars.

The film basically follows the rehearsals, the planning, listening to other groups – with great exuberance despite the pessimism.

1.The work of the director? His Kurdish films? His Kurdish background? Attempting to make films in Teheran? Government interference? His decision to make this film?

2.The director’s interest in popular music? The status of music in Iran? Islamic suspicions of music? The forbidding of women singing in public? The antipathy towards contemporary styles? American styles?

3.The Iranian music underground? The film illustrating the various groups, the personalities, their singing, the different styles, traditional, modern, American, rap? Their insertion into the film – and the use of music video styles to illustrate them?

4.The opening, the director and the recording, just for morale-boosting? The women wanting to record songs?

5.The director, the encounter with Nagar and Ashkan? Ashcan in prison? His supporting them, introducing them to the agent, the link with David and the possibility of getting passports and visas?

6.Ashkan and his background, singing? Nagar, her personality, irritable and suspicious, complaining? Her support of Ashkan? Her continued worries, problems? The irony that she was justified?

7.Ashkan and Nagar and their working with the director, practising the music, with the band, discovering the other groups?

8.The agent, his comedy, spiels, English, imitation of stars? The promising the world? The director guaranteeing his word?

9.The agent, his contacts, David, the possibility of passports? The phone calls, his disappearing? His reassuring the group? The finale, the party, his being drunk, the phone call about David’s arrest? His dismay? The police taking him?

10.The concert, David’s presence, his being arrested?

11.Ashkan and the invitation to the party, the young people, the drinking and the drugs, the music? Anti-establishment? The police raid?

12.Ashkan and his falling from the window? Nagar and her waiting outside, seeing this, her killing herself? The final scene of Ashkan in the ambulance and the possibility of his living?

13.The exuberance of the music and the rebel style? The comment on Iranian society, religion? Leaders and government? The possibilities of rebellion against the contemporary leaders in the country? The overall pessimism concerning the personalities and music?