"Iran Is My Home"
by Danny Gilbert

Although Iran has been under Islamic law for nearly a quarter-century,
tensions have become increasingly smaller as the years pass by, which in
turn has made the possibility for many Iranian expatriates to return to
their homeland after decades of separation. The Iran of today by no means
resembles the turmoil of 1979, but it is still ruled by the
minority-opinionated hardline clerics, who would look at any documentation
filmed by the West with suspicion. Playing June 14th and 20th at the 9th
Annual IFP Los Angeles Film Festival, "Iran Is My Home" is one such
documentary from filmmaker Fariborz David Diian, who returned to the country
of his birth for the first time in over 20 years to show the world that
Iran's future rests in its youth.

When he is not carrying out his day job as a Los Angeles businessman,
Mr. Diian has recently found the time to venture into the world of cinema as
both an actor and producer. Most recently Diian performed both job titles in
"America So Beautiful," which had a short run earlier this year in Los
Angeles. Diian played the role of the proud cabdriver Parviz in the film,
which is a hit in France and is still showing on French screens. Going from
fiction to reality, Diian incorporates a cinema verite style of filmmaking
with "Iran Is My Home," by using a hand-held camera and remaining
inconspicuous to authorities.

The documentary begins with Diian's mother saying goodbye to him as he
begins his journey back to Iran. As he makes his way with his fiancee Sogol
to LAX, their cabdriver is also an Iranian expatriate who has not been home
in over 20 years and appears to be in no hurry to go back. Their 24 hour
flight commences aboard a KLM 747 and concludes in Tehran's international
airport, with a message over the jet's loudspeaker warning people that no
pictures are to be taken. Immediately the viewer feels that Diian is about
to perform a James Bond-like mission in the name of cinema.

As the couple make their way through the streets of Tehran, propaganda
and political messages are posted throughout the city. These include posters
on the street that read "Down with the U.S.A." and messages that warn
customers before entering restaurants, "We Refuse to Serve People who
Disobey Islamic Law." Poverty appears evident as Diian interviews people on
the street who feel they are under a sense of pressure. People with college
degrees who are unemployed, but still send their love to Iranians abroad
hoping to be together again one day. As night falls on the couple's first
day in the capital city, Diian interviews Iranian youth, who appear to love
American culture.

Two industrious male youths sell Levi's in their store and seem,
judging from their appearance, to enjoy the night life, to which Diian asks
them, "Are you guys part of the group we hear about that party with girls
every night?" To which, the young men laugh in embarrassment.

Later that night Diian finds a teenage girl, with her head wrapped in a
black veil, smiling and happy to know that Diian and Sogol are from America,
the land of MTV. The girl sees America as a prospect for her to wear a
blouse and a short skirt, wanting to show skin like any other teenage girl.

From Tehran, Diian makes his way north to visit other cities and talk
to its people. Cities such as Ramsar, the Caspian Sea town of Chaloos and
back south to Kashan and Esfahan. It is in Esfahan, where tourism reigns
supreme as the city's chief economy. Smiling while wearing a veil, one
female German tourist explains that it protects her from the sun. Merchants
everywhere occupy this city, from metallurgists to rug-makers, who continue
to struggle with the hope that these tourists will buy their goods. As they
struggle, they remain true to their trades and create works-of-art.

Although "Iran Is My Home" is still looking for a distributor, one such
venue where it should be required-viewing is the White House screening room.
With George W. Bush's hawkish overtures towards Iran, following his conquest
of oil-rich Iraq (Where are the weapons-of-mass destruction?), the President
may want to learn more about the people he threatens with war. See a land
for what it is, filled with innocent peace-loving people, instead of using
it for re-election propaganda.

Throughout the film, the majority of people that Diian talks with are
the Iranian youth he encounters during his journey. Not by accident, it is a
continual reminder that these youth are the majority of Iran's population
and therefore represent Iran's future. A future that will demand change.

3 1/2 out 4 stars

Iranian-born UK comedian to star in US sitcom, Whoopi!

Whoopi Goldberg stars as Mavis Rae, a proud, opinionated lady who owns and runs her own small, downtown New York hotel. Keeping things lively around the place are Mavis' older brother Courtney, Iranian handy man Nasim (Omid Djalili, left) and Courtney's girlfriend Rita. But the real star of this hotel is Whoopi as Mavis, who keeps the zingers flying with her unique brand of topical humor. Just what you'd hope for from the producers who have so expertly tailored TV comedy roles for the likes of Roseanne, Brett Butler and Bill Cosby. Now is the time and this is the role for America to celebrate anew the brash, bold and unabashedly funny Whoopi Goldberg in all her glory

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