Celluloid Underground

Celluloid Underground

Ehsan Khoshbakht

  • 2023
  • Iran, Great-Britain
  • Documentary / Biopic
  • 1h20mn
  • Original version with French subtitles
  • Black and white with color
French premiere
A passionate Iranian cinephile, Ehsan Khoshbakht desperately searches for Iranian films forbidden and lost since the 1979 revolution. He meets Ahmad Jurghanian, a former projectionist who, under the islamist regime, risked his life to save and hide thousands of 35mm copies.
Can cinema survive oppression? This is the question asked by this fantastic, very lyrical documentary, that blends temporalities, Ehsan’s and Ahmad's, two generations proclaiming the universality of cinema as eternal resistance, and also testifying of History’s immutable horror. A declaration of love to cinema, to a hero, a friend, who was nicknamed the “Iranian Langlois”.

Screenings

04/09 • 20h00 • Screen 100
Q&A with the director after the screening

Booking

08/09 • 19h30 • Screen 100

Booking

Credits

  • With : Ahmad Jorghanian, Ehsan Khoshbakht, Nariman Massoumi, Jonah Sellers...
  • Screenplay : Ehsan Khoshbakht
  • Photography : Garance Javelle, Ehsan Khoshbakht
  • Editing : Niyaz Saghari, Abolfazl Talooni
  • Music by : Ekkehard Wölk
  • Production : Mary Bell, Adam Dawtrey