In November 2014, I was lucky to meet the great Giuseppe Tornatore, director of the Cinema Paradiso and a supporter of Cinema Without Borders Foundation mission, for the second time in Los Angeles and interview him. The occasion was celebration of the 25th anniversary of Cinema Paradiso release at the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles. Mr. Tornatore was a kind and humble man, answering all the questions even he seemed to be very tired from his long travel from Italy to Los Angeles. He knew our International Editor, James Ulmer, himself a public figure, and he was aware of…
Author: Bijan Tehrani
As far as I Can Walk, from Serbia, Luxembourg, directed by Stefan Arsenijević, won MOZAIK Bridging The Borders Award at the award ceremony of 17th Edition of the SEEfest, South East European Film Festival LA Also SUGHRA’S SONS from Azerbaijan and France, directed by Ilgar Najaf received CWB’s jury Honorary Mention MOZAIK Bridging The Borders Award is offered by Cinema Without Borders Foundation and sponsored by MOZAIK Philanthropy. The award ceremony was held in LA’s Fine Arts Theater and Bijan Tehrani, Vladek Juszkiewicz and Susan Morgan Cooper, MOZAIK Bridging The Borders Award jury members announced the winning film: “We had…
Cinema Without Borders is proud to present MOZAIK Bridging The Borders Award for the 14 year at the prestigious SEEfest, South East European Film Festival LA. MOZAIK Bridging The Borders Award offered by Cinema Without Borders and sponsored by MOZAIK Philanthropy goes to a feature film that helps bringing people of our world closer together. Winner will be announced on May 4th during the closing ceremony of the 17th Edition of the festival at the Fine Arts theater. SEEfest will run from April 27th to may 4th. Jury members for MOZAIK Bridging the Borders Award are: Susan Morgan Cooper Susan Morgan Cooper…
The Seventh Edition of ELAC International Animation Day was held on March 26th by focusing on Iranian Animation. Organizers of the event were East Los Angeles College, Cinema and Without Borders Foundation, and Aduren Studio . In the first part of the program, nine short animated films were screened: Hajar’S Wedding by Mahin Javaherian 8 Min 2008 The Tree by Sare Shafipour 5 Min 2014 When I was a Child by Maryam Kashkoolinia 8 Min 2014 The Switchman by Mehdi Khoramian 10 Min 2016 The Fox by: Sadegh Javadi 10 Min 2017 Am I a Wolf? by Amir Houshang Moein 8…
Drive My Car wins the Oscar for the Best International Film. Other nominees were FLEE, Denmark, THE HAND OF GOD Italy, LUNANA: A YAK IN THE CLASSROOM, Bhutan and THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD Norway. https://vimeo.com/692922493 A sad and bad choice at the presence of THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD, a much better movie and at the absence of the best international film of the year A HERO by Asghar Farhadi. It’s a shame for the academy and their voters.
When Pomegranates Howl written and directed by Granaz Moussavi tells a story of Hewad, a nine-year-old boy who lives on the streets in the capital of Afghanistan – Kabul. Following the loss of both his father and brother, Hewad decides to create a business by working as a cart pusher, which he enjoys doing every day. By working as such, and loading the carts with goods, he travels throughout Kabul in hope to raise enough money for his family. Hewad’s dream of becoming a movie star comes to live when he stumbles on an Australian photographer. Here is our video…
Amid war in Ukraine and the whole world condemning Putin for his war crimes, a few film festivals including Glasgow Film Festival, remove Russian films from their line up!!! May I ask why Russian filmmakers should be punished for a dictator’s wrong decisions and crimes? During the height of communist era no country band films made by filmmakers working in Russia, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Hungry and other communist block countries and amazing work of art revealing life under dictatorship was created. My question is what is next boycotting Chekhov, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky? Shame on the organizers of these film festivals, as…
A Hero, Iran’s Oscar entry and Academy Awards shortlisted film by Asghar Farhadi is about Rahim who is in prison because of a debt he was unable to repay. During a two-day leave, he tries to convince his creditor to withdraw his complaint against the payment of part of the sum. But things don’t go as planned… The following is my interview with Mr. Farhadi about making of A Hero https://vimeo.com/673371558 Asghar Farhadi is among real authors of the world of cinema. You can watch his films without the credits and still know that is his work. Farhadi is faithful to…
In Playground, Belgium’s Oscar Entry in the Shortlist by writer-director Laura Wandel , the everyday reality of grade school is seen from a child’s-eye-view as an obstacle course of degradation and abuse. Following 7-year-old Nora and her big brother Abel, we see Nora struggling to fit in before finding her place on the schoolyard. One day, she notices Abel being bullied by other kids, and though she rushes to protect him by warning their father, Abel forces her to remain silent, while he endures more humiliation and harassment by his peers. Transposing the gritty realism of such filmmakers as Jacques…
Burbank, CA – January 19th 2022. Today Palm Springs International Film Festival announced its 2022 winners and A Hero by Asghar Farhadi won MOZAIK Bridging The Borders Award. The Honorary Mentions went to Fear (Bulgaria/France), directed by Ivaylo Hristov and Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America (USA), directed by Emily Kunstler The Borders Award is presented by Cinema Without Borders and award sponsored and prize provided by MOZAIK. The winner of Bridging the Borders Award will receive a cash prize of $2500. In the following video, Keely Badger is Executive Director of MOZAIK and a jury member…