MY TEHRAN FOR SALE
Australia, 2009, 94 minutes. Colour.
Marzieh Vafamehr, Amir Chegini, Asha Mehrabi.
Directed by Granaz Moussavi.
My Tehran For Sale was written and directed by Granaz Moussavi, a film editor, whose first feature film this is, both writing and directing. The director was born in Iran in 1974 and moved to Australia.
The film shows life in Iran for young people, especially at the beginning of the 21st century. It is interesting to note that while Iran is the Islamic republic, there is very little reference to Islam or to religious practice and beliefs. The main emphasis on respectability for women, especially in their dress and behaviour.
The film was made in Tehran itself, with many views of the city. It shows the story of a young woman, who falls in love with an Iranian who is visiting the country from Adelaide. She plans to leave the country. However, there are scenes at the Australian embassy, with people waiting for a long time. She is able to get the visa but must undergo a medical check – where it is revealed that she is HIV-positive. This alienates her from the man from Adelaide. She is able to get to Australia via a smuggling route – and the film also shows the interrogations by the authorities at the detention centres.
The film also shows life of young people in Iran, the secret rave parties, drinking and drugs, sexual freedoms. It also shows experimental theatre in the city – which is closed down by the authorities.
The central character is not entirely sympathetic, which gives some edge to audience attitudes about her migrating to Australia, the interrogations by the Australian authorities.
The ending is inconclusive – rather the film is an opportunity to see something of the attitudes of young people in Iran, the repressive attitudes of the authorities, the difficulties of migration and the issues of moving to Australia as a migrant or as a refugee or as an asylum seeker.
1. Audience attitudes towards Iran, knowledge of Iran? The picture of life there, behaviour, the repressions, the desire to leave?
2. The issues of Australian migration, policies, legislation? The embassy in Tehran, the line-ups, the issuing of visas? The interrogations by authorities in the detention centres in Australia?
3. The director, born in Iran, her life there, the transition to Australia, her film work? The touches of autobiography in her film?
4. Filming in Iran, the range of views of the city, 21st century Tehran, modern, the world of the theatre, the new and the old, external behaviour and expectations, the life behind doors and the defying of authority, the western cultural influences, the rave parties, the music and the drugs? The role of women? Behaviour, dress codes? Sexual behaviour?
5. The structure of the film: the rave party and Marzieh’s experience, the raid on the party? Intercutting her ordinary live, apartment, the theatre work and the rehearsals, her friends? The plan to leave, her relationship with Saman, leaving the rave party, under the floor, the sexual encounter, its effect on her? Their friendship? Intercutting her presence in Australia, the interpreter, the interrogator, the questions and answers, her being in Australia for two years? The effect of the intercutting?
6. The rave party, the lights, the sounds, the music, the drugs, the dancing, the women leaving off the headdress? Marzieh and Saman outside? The raid, people fleeing, the authoritarian men, the verbal abuse of the women? The police? The police station, the group sitting and waiting, the woman, the psychiatrist, being lashed?
7. Marzieh and Saman, the sexual relationship, talking, the attraction, Saman explaining the migrant experience to Australia, his mother coming back to Iran to search for his father, the lights of Adelaide, the transition and living in a different country, language? Marzieh and her hopes, the plans, going to the doctor, at the embassy, the visa, together with Saman and sharing with him? The report, HIV-positive, Saman’s reaction, anger, inability to cope?
8. Marzieh and Sadaf, their friendship, the psychiatrist, her trying to help her friend, the effect of the HIV?
9. The world of the theatre, modern style, performance, Marzieh leaving, the arrests and the theatre closed down?
10. The people smugglers? At the embassy? The range of people lining up, their talking, the long waits for attention? Marzieh being brought in with Saman? The illegal smuggler, his card, the arrangements?
11. No easy ending for the film, the interrogation by the authorities, the translation? Her reasons for wanting to be in Australia? Solid enough for acceptance?
12. The relevance of these themes and the experiences in Iran to Australia in the 21st century?
