Understanding Iran Through Its Artists and Journalists Amidst Ongoing Protests

Few Americans have had the opportunity to visit or explore Iran, a nation of over 90 million people that has been largely isolated from the United States since the 1979 revolution. With ongoing political tensions and a government crackdown on dissent, understanding Iranian culture and perspectives is more critical than ever. Recent works of literature, film, and music by Iranian artists and journalists offer a window into the complexities of Iranian society and its contemporary challenges.

Books: Exploring Iranian History and Contemporary Life

For the Sun After Long Nights: The Story of Iran’s Women-Led Uprising

Fatemeh Jamalpour and Nilo Tabrizy’s For the Sun After Long Nights chronicles the Woman, Life, Freedom movement that began in 2022, with Jamalpour reporting from Tehran during the uprising .

Gold by Rumi, Translated by Haleh Liza Gafori

Haleh Liza Gafori’s translations of the 13th-century Sufi poet Jalaluddin Rumi (known as Molana in Iran) offer a fresh and accessible interpretation of his perform, grounding it in its Islamic context .

Martyr!: A Novel, by Kaveh Akbar

Kaveh Akbar’s debut novel, Martyr!, explores themes of diaspora, identity, and the intergenerational impact of the 1979 Revolution, interwoven with the true story of the U.S. Downing of an Iranian passenger plane in 1988 .

The Stationery Shop: A Novel by Marjan Kamali

Marjan Kamali’s The Stationery Shop is a love story set against the backdrop of the 1953 U.S.-British engineered coup that overthrew Iran’s democratically elected prime minister, Mohammad Mossadegh .

Films: Documenting History and Contemporary Struggles

Coup 53

Taghi Amirani and Walter Murch’s documentary, Coup 53, recounts Operation Ajax, the CIA and MI6’s role in the 1953 coup that removed Prime Minister Mossadegh and reinstated the Shah . The film highlights the role of oil in the coup, noting the British oil company’s control over Iranian oil resources.

Cutting Through Rocks

Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni’s documentary, Cutting Through Rocks, follows Sara Shahverdi, a motorcyclist campaigning to become the first woman elected to the city council of her village, advocating for girls’ education and an conclude to child marriage .

It Was Just an Accident

Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident, filmed in secret despite a ban on his filmmaking, is a thriller inspired by the director’s experiences in prison, exploring themes of justice and retribution .

The Seed of the Sacred Fig

Mohammad Rasoulof’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig, also filmed in secret, centers on a family grappling with suspicion and surveillance amidst the Woman, Life, Freedom protests .

Music: Celebrating Iranian Heritage and Resilience

Kayhan Kalhor

Kayhan Kalhor, a virtuoso of the kamancheh, is a leading ambassador of Persian classical music, navigating censorship and political challenges to build a successful career both in Iran and internationally .

Saeid Shanbehzadeh

Saeid Shanbehzadeh celebrates the heritage of Afro-Iranians, descendants of enslaved people from East Africa, through his music and dance, specializing in the Iranian bagpipe and percussion .

The Underground Metal Scene

Despite restrictions on music, Iran has a thriving underground metal and punk scene, exemplified by Farbod Ardebelli’s short drama, Forbidden to See Us Scream in Tehran, which depicts the challenges faced by these artists .

These artistic expressions offer valuable insights into Iranian culture, history, and the ongoing struggles for freedom and self-expression.