The Jerusalem Film Festival, which kicks off July 4, will screen Makhmalbaf’s most recent film, ‘The Gardener,’ about a man from Papua New Guinea who tends the Bahai gardens in Haifa.
The award-winning Iranian film director Mohsen Makhmalbaf is scheduled to arrive in Israel in two weeks as the Jerusalem Film Festival’s honorary guest.
Makhmalbaf, one of the leading figures in the new wave movement of Iranian cinema, has been a sharp critic of the Iranian regime in recent years. He has directed more than 20 films, in addition to his work as a producer, screenwriter and editor.
His most recent film, “The Gardener,” is scheduled to be screened at the Jerusalem Film Festival, which kicks off on July 4. The movie, which was partly filmed in Israel, was first screened at the recent International Film Festival Rotterdam.
“The Gardener” follows a man from Papua New Guinea who tends the Bahai gardens in Haifa, where he deals with the role religions play in politics and in fomenting war and peace. It was filmed by Makhmalbaf’s son Maysam Makhmalbaf.
The Jerusalem Film Festival will also screen several of Makhmalbaf’s other movies, including “Gabbeh,” “Kandhar” and “Salam [Hello] Cinema.”
The film festival runs from July 4-13.
Makhmalbaf was born in Tehran in 1957. As a young man he was involved in underground Islamic activity, for which he was imprisoned for four years. He was released after the Islamic Revolution.
"Mohsen Makhmalbaf's latest film "The Gardener" at Busan & Beirut International film festival"
'The Gardener', Mohsen Makhmalbaf's most recent creation, was filmed in Israel in the cities of Haifa and Jerusalem. 'The Gardener' will premiere at the 17th Busan International Film Festival, to be held October 4 - 13, 2012. Following Busan the film goes on screen in Beirut Film Festival on the 9th of October 2012 in Lebanon.
The film illustrates the clash between two Iranian generations regarding their perspectives on the positive and negative effects of religion on society. Makhmalbaf and his son, Maysam, represent each of these generations.
'The Gardener' is also an exploration of the principles and beliefs of the Baha'i Faith, a religion that originated around 170 years ago in Iran and counts today with millions of followers throughout the world.
"Many of us Iranians," says Makhmalbaf, "know more about religions and schools of thought from Indian, Chinese, or Japanese origin than religions that have grown out of Iran. Maybe this has been willed by censorship. 'The Gardener' is an attempt to break this censorship."
" باغبان فیلم جدید محسن مخملباف در جشنواره پوسان و بیروت "
فیلم باغبان آخرین ساخته محسن مخملباف که در شهرهای حیفا و اورشلیم در کشور اسرائیل ساخته شده است در شانزدهمین دوره جشنواره پوسان که از ۴ تا ۱۳ اکتبر ۲۰۱۲ در کره جنوبی برگزار خواهد شد، برای اولین بار به نمایش درخواهد آمد.
این فیلم همزمان در جشنواره بیروت امسال در روز ۹ اکتبر به نمایش در خواهد آمد.
موضوع این فیلم جدلی است بین دو نسل ایرانی بر سر نقش مثبت و منفی ادیان. محسن مخملباف و پسرش میثم هر کدام نقش نسلی را در باغبان بازی می کنند.
فیلم باغبان در عین حال سیری است در اندیشه و آئین بهائی. دینی که حدود ۱۷۰ سال پیش در ایران آغاز شد و در سراسر جهان گسترده شد و اکنون میلیون ها پیرو دارد.
محسن مخملباف می گوید: بسیاری از ما ایرانیان از انواع اندیشه ها و آئین ها و ادیان هندی، چینی، ژاپنی با خبرتریم، تا از اندیشه ها و آئین هایی که خاستگاه شان ایران بوده است.
شاید سانسور، این چنین خواسته است. فیلم باغبان برای شکستن این سانسور است.
