The Political Life and Legacy of Mosaddeq
Posted by By ifvc at 10 October, at 19 : 09 PM Print
In May of 1951, Mohammad Mossadegh, leader of the liberal nationalist movement in Iran, was democratically elected to the office of Prime Minister. His election was seen as a tremendous victory for those who believed that Iran’s future lay in self-determination and democracy. However, by August of 1953, forces working against Mossadegh and his progressive objectives had managed to carry out a coup d’etat, engineered by the CIA and MI6, with the support of a number of domestic groups opposed to the nationalist movement. Following the downfall of the Mossadegh government, the country was returned to authoritarian royalist rule and the hopes of the Iranian people having a say in their political future were dashed.
“The Life and Legacy of Mossadegh” is a feature-length documentary that seeks to present a comprehensive and impartial look at the man, his ideas, and the rise and fall of his government. This project began in July of 2005, and since then over one hundred hours of more than eighty-five interviews have been conducted worldwide with experts on the subject. (Ultimately more than one hundred interviews will be conducted.) In addition to important interviews conducted inside Iran, the producer/director has carried out interviews in Paris, London, Berlin, Rome, Frankfurt, Geneva, Helsinki, Stockholm and elsewhere, in addition to interviews in the United States in Los Angeles, Washington, D. C., Boston and other cities. The interviewees have been carefully selected and have had questions written specifically for them by the expert historians associated with the project. The interviewees were chosen with special emphasis on those who observed or were involved in particular events or were politically active during Mossadegh’s premiership. It was essential to speak to the people who were involved as well as those knowledgeable about these important historical events, and so interviews were conducted with diplomats and politicians, writers and journalists, spies and scholars.
Although dealing with a subject with obvious contemporary political implications, the film will be based on historical evidence that has come to light from sources such as CIA and British Intelligence Service documents, as well as documents released under the Freedom of Information Act. The producers did not set out to favor any particular side, preferring to paint as complete a picture as could be achieved. Equal time was given to the many different viewpoints regarding these events, and interviewees included leaders and supporters of the Iranian National Front, individuals who were at one time members or supporters of the Tudeh Party (communists), monarchists, as well as representatives of the religious community. New documents and evidence were discovered, including stills and film clips concerning the coup. Additionally, the front pages and stills of about 20 magazines and newspapers of that era were scanned.
The film will ultimately appear in two versions: a two-hour theatrical cut and an extended cut to be released on DVD. Narration will be in English by a well-known contemporary actor. An original score will be commissioned from a renowned composer and a top-notch editor will be recruited to edit the film. Given the abundance of interview material collected, some may not make it into the finished version. We also plan to release a book or possibly books based on the interviews, and some material not included in the film may be utilized for these. In any case, having accumulated so much valuable material on some one hundred years of Iranian history, we hope ultimately to be able to store it in a library or foundation for the benefit of future historians.
This informative and engrossing documentary will be entered into the most prestigious film festivals around the world, as well as receiving worldwide theatrical release.
