Jafar Panasi drove a taxi and parked on the edge of Qingquan Mountain in Tehran. He took his little niece Ana to get out of the car, went to find the two old sisters who had taken a ride, and returned their lost wallets. At this time, the security personnel who had been following him immediately opened the car door and removed the camera installed on the dashboard, only to hear "No memory card found...".
Obviously, the director kept a hand and took off the memory card before getting out of the car. High, really high. With Iranian folk music, the film ends like this. A road movie, the alternative is so quiet that it makes people think twice, how to do it.
In June 2009, Tehran, Iran's presidential election has been settled. The tragic death of a 16-year-old girl during an opposition demonstration has sparked public outrage. Panasi is also involved. On March 1, 2010, he was banned from filming and from leaving the country. This situation, like the title of his previous film, was deemed "offside" by the authorities, which led to the temporary closure of his personal film career. But Panasi is not willing to sit on the bench, even if he is confined at home, he also made the amazing work "This Is Not a Movie" in 2011, which truly recorded every bit of his life at home and brought it into reality subtly.
But Panasi didn't stop there. Out of his love for movies, he decided to create a drama that runs through his personal style. Finally, I thought of turning a taxi into a mobile photo studio to shoot Taxi (2015) in one go. Panasi is a fine director. Beforehand, he had to design every scene, every detail, and even every line. It has to be kept out of the way, so that people can mistake it for randomness. As a director who can't make a film, how to express his position with the camera, no doubt, Panasi's "Taxi" provides an excellent template. That's why we feel that this is clearly a documentary. In fact, the definition of modern "direct film" is very different from the role of a complete "bystander". In this regard, Iranian filmmakers are the most skilled. In general, there are two branches, each with its own ancestry. Panasi has been Abbas' assistant, and naturally belongs to Abbas' lineage. The international reputation established by Iranian films was established by the older generation of famous directors such as Dariz, and the real establishment came from the series of images of the two directors Abbas and Mokmabaf. Majid, who has filmed "Children", belongs to the line of Mokmabaf, and of course Mokmabaf's two daughters, Samira, are indispensable. The main difference between Abbas and Mokmabaf's images, and my perception, can be summed up as "Mokmabaf's macro, Abbas's micro". Not to mention, at least this has been basically the case for the past ten years.
From "Kandahar", "Mind Imprint" to "The President", Mokmabaf is a macro narrative. It is like walking through the sand and rocks from thousands of miles away, explaining the human nature under the squeeze, and delving into the hidden thoughts behind it. From "Where Is My Home" and "The Taste of Cherry" to "Legal Copy" and "Like a River in Love", Abbas, without exception, has drizzle and wind, and occasionally a storm in a teapot, showing his mind in a microscopic way. Subtle interpretation of life.
In addition to these two branches, other Kurdish directors such as Gobadi, who filmed "The Drunken Horse", are basically the shooting methods of modern direct films, highlighting authenticity, enabling non-professional actors, downplaying linearity and abandoning linear narratives. It seems a little clueless, but in fact, the muscles are clear and not messy. Farhadi, the director of "A Farewell", is another exception. It not only integrates modern film techniques, but also inherits the narrative tradition of Derez's films. It is not obtrusive and very structured. And what is the allure of Panasi's "Taxi"?
boy and woman
"Taxi", before and after, about ten people came up. The first person to get on the bus was a man who could speak well, followed by a woman. The guy said that those who stole should be jailed and executed. The woman in the back seat said that there are many reasons for the crime, it is a kind of helplessness in a special environment, and they should be concerned about their living conditions, not just being caught and put to death.
The guy accused her of not understanding this social reality at all. Then asked her what she was doing. The woman says I can tell you, but you have to tell me too. The guy agrees. The woman said "teacher". "No wonder, so naive," said the young man with a smile. The woman asked him what he was doing. "Freelance," he said slowly. A slightly wild and extreme idea, a well-behaved, a little bit of professionalism. As they got out of the car, the little argument vanished. Panahi remained silent, not saying a word.
Midgets, Wounded and College Students
Next in the car was a fat dwarf. When he came up, he recognized the director. It turns out that he specializes in selling pirated discs. I have sent discs to the director's house before. Really do a line of love. Omid wasted no time in pitching the disc to the director. The director asked with a smile, is there Nuri? Ceylon's "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia," and Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris." As he was talking, someone stopped the car. Several men carried a middle-aged man covered in blood, and a woman hugged him up crying. On the way, the woman said she was hit by a motorcycle. The dying man, said bitterly that if he died, his wife would not get even a chicken. He wants to make a video will and leave all the estate to his wife, not his brothers. After saying that, he closed his eyes.
rushed to the hospital. The woman hurried back and said that she wanted his recorded will. The director said that I have to deal with it, and then I will give you a call. Omid said I thought he was dead. The director said he just fainted from pain. Then the woman called again several times, hoping that the director must give him the video. The woman's repeated confirmation shows that family affection under poverty, social security, and Iranian society under honesty are all in a period of drastic changes, and there is a feeling of being unable to continue.
The car was parked at the door of a mansion, and a young man, a typical "rich and handsome", came out. Just sent off an embarrassed couple, followed by a son of a rich family. It is conceivable that the gap between the rich and the poor in Iranian society is huge. Omid struggled to take down a large bag of plates. The young man told the director that he wanted to invite him into the room to sit. The director said no. The guy said that he is a student of the university's art college, and he wants to make a short film before graduation, and he hopes that he will give pointers. The director said that all movies are worth watching, depending on what kind you like. You can't learn much from these films, you have to find inspiration and subject matter yourself, but this is the hardest.
The guy asked the director to help him pick a few discs. Omid was on the phone outside the car. The guy asked, and Omid told me, you are his partner. Panasi smiled helplessly. After saying goodbye to the guy, Panasi asked Omid gently, when did I become your partner. Oyed was at a loss for words, and along the way, his face rose like a puffer fish. When Omid got out of the car, he was deeply apologetic and hoped he would understand. Panasi said with a smile, of course I understand. Oyed wants to pay for the taxi, he said no, you keep it.
old sisters
Then, a pair of old sisters came up, and they held a goldfish bowl together. Come up and shout. The old sisters are 5 years apart. One year ago, at 12:00 today, I caught fish by the river in Qingquan Mountain and raised it for a year. Today, I have to go there and release it before 12:00. Otherwise, their lives will be in danger. The fish have to go back to where they came from.
The road conditions were not good, the car collided, and the fish tank was broken. The old sisters were so frightened that they even said that we were finished and their lives were at risk. The director got out of the car in a hurry, took out a plastic bag in the trunk, filled it with water, picked up the goldfish, and put it in. They are still alive, they are only a little slow, always chasing the director's car to drive faster, or they won't be able to keep up with the clock. But he got a call. He stopped the car and said that I can't go to Qingquan Mountain because of an emergency. He stopped a taxi for them, and the older sisters kept chattering discontentedly.
The director calmed down as he watched the car they were riding in go away. This arrangement is very clever. Through the panicked behavior of the old sisters, they accidentally dropped their wallets. In the end, they drew a circle and had to return the wallets to them. This expresses the director's creative intention and conveys the beauty of human nature in a superstitious and dark atmosphere. Panasi's ability to construct narratives is truly extraordinary. Back then, he filmed "White Balloon" based on the script of his teacher Abbas.
Little niece, boy in suit and female lawyer
The deepest impression is of course the director's little niece, Ana, this eccentric elf, whose sharp edge overshadowed the director himself. She's smart and cute, and she has sharp teeth, which is amazing. One person, one world, used on her, really drunk. The car came to the closed gate of the school, she was alone, swayed up, the cat was on the door, and asked the director why he was an hour late, and what if I was kidnapped by the bad guys, just like in "Mirror" the girl. Why open a taxi, isn't this shameful for me in front of my classmates?
Her barrage of cannons provoked the director to say to her, "No one can stand your mouth." As soon as she got in the car, she said playfully that I was joking. She will not be idle. Take out the camera, notebook. She said that the teacher arranged for us to shoot a short film, but we had to shoot it according to the regulations, otherwise it would not be broadcast. In fact, in this section, the director let the short film made by his niece integrate into it, which is extremely natural. The director stopped and went to see an old neighbor, a young man in a suit and tie. The guy took Ana to the store to eat ice cream, and then came back to let the director watch the movie on the tablet. The boy asked the director how. The director said that you were attacked and robbed, so why didn't you call the police? The guy said I saw someone on TV being sentenced to death for robbery. When people encounter difficulties and rob me of my money, I think it’s okay to help them get through the difficulties.
At this time, a young man brought two cups of hot tea. After leaving, the neighbor said it was him. The director has always wondered what kind of person would take the risk to rob, but he didn't expect this person in front of him. It turns out that the criminals are ordinary people, no different. After saying goodbye to the neighbors, the director stopped at a corner and got out of the car to make a phone call. Ana kept filming and saw a little boy picking up rags and picking up a groom's wallet.
She called him over and asked him why he didn't return the wallet he found. Don't you understand that it's not ignorant to collect gold? You made the short film I shot so you can't broadcast it, so you have to return it quickly. The boy said at first that it was not stolen, but after she reprimanded him, he really went back and threw it on the ground. But the groom's car was gone, and the wallet was still there. Ana sighed helplessly.
Then came a woman holding flowers, a friend of the director. She said she was going to Vanek. As soon as he heard it, the director knew that he was going to visit the prison. Said to be a girl watching a football game. After being jailed for 108 days, she went on a hunger strike for 10 days. As the girl's lawyer, she felt helpless. The work of her own lawyer will also be stopped. The Director Strange Bar Association can also ban your work. "The Bar Association bans my work just as the Directors Guild bans yours," she said with a smile. Obviously, this intentional touch shows the director's helplessness towards this real society.
The female lawyers are brave enough to say, "If they want to frame someone, then they will give you a framed charge, and then make up an immoral notoriety. Turn your friends into enemies and your life into a prison. , as soon as you go out, the city becomes a big prison. Then you can only escape from here, or you can only expect you to wear the base of the prison... Anyway, whatever, whatever, you better cut my words , otherwise, you will be accused of spreading dark thoughts." The woman got out of the car with a smile and gave Ana a flower. Ana was so happy, she touched the lace and asked, "What is dark thinking?" "It's what the teacher said, what you wrote down in the notebook." She was too curious, too puzzled. "If the truth is negative and disturbs harmony, it cannot be filmed, but I don't understand why it is not allowed to be released since it is the truth."
The director was silent when asked by Little Ana. How does he answer. What has to be said has been said. Before the woman got into the car, Panasi had heard an inexplicable voice, rattling in his head. He looked around blankly, and found nothing. The woman got into the car, and he also asked her what she heard. Clearly, this is a smoldering noise that stimulates the ghosts in the depths of life.
Pasina is mild-mannered and likes to smile. Everything seems to be in a hurry and orderly. Just like the movies he made, it is full of restrained and profound light. Iranian directors are generally unassuming and extremely quiet. They always make movies quietly. The result of never making a fuss is that the international film community repeatedly exclaims, why a country with such strict control still has so much persistence and so much tension. End credits with the subtitle "Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Culture, allowing credits to appear at the end of the film, although we would very much like to do so, this film will not show credits. My thanks go out to all those who provided support. Love, without their valuable assistance, this film would not have come out." This is also a helpless move made by Panasi out of personal protection for the cast and crew. As in February 2015, he could not go to Berlin to attend the "Golden Bear" award ceremony, and let his little niece receive it on his behalf. The cute appearance of the little niece Ana holding the trophy with tears in her eyes is unforgettable. I've always been fascinated by Tehran, and I think the film directors there are probably the smartest people on the planet. Their situation is somewhat similar to that of Eastern European filmmakers more than 30 years ago, as well as Soviet directors such as Tarkovsky, Parajanov, and Horta. That kind of dancing sharply on the tip of the knife and refined in a silent place, I really admire its purity. This is a sacred light and shadow that cannot be created with much money.
Whenever I see these incredible images, it's like hearing American folk singer Judy "Amazing Grace" sings by Collins always has a kind of "Amazing Grace" empathy.
2015, 11, 14
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