Iran Darroudi: The Painter of Ethereal Moments in Sweden

Posted by By ifvc at 30 October, at 15 : 29 PM Print

After almost seven years of production, Iran Darroudi: The Painter of Ethereal Moments, the fourth feature-length documentary in the Renowned Iranian Artists series, had its official premiere at Stockholm on October 30, 2009. This film is a both a biographical and analytical look at Iran Darroudi, the famous Iranian artist. Bahman Maghsoudlou, the director and producer, has tried to convey how the mysticism of the east and surrealism of the west come together in her paintings and how a female artist has survived in environments hostile to women. The film premiered to a full house, which received it enthusiastically.

At the same program, another feature documentary was screened. In fact, it was one of the first documentaries ever made. Grass: A Nation’s Battle for Life was made in Iran in 1924 by Merian C. Cooper, Marguerite Harrison and Ernest Schoedsack, and Mr. Maghsoudlou, author of the book Grass: Untold Stories, gave a lecture and answered all questions regarding both films after the screening. The evening concluded with a book signing during which drinks and pastries were served.

The same program was repeated two days later on Sunday, November 1 in Goteborg at the Folktshus Center in Hammarkullen. Mr. Naser Zeraati, an Iranian writer/filmmaker and president of Bokarthus in Goteborg, was the host and sponsor along with ABF of Sweden and Mr. Alireza Mojallal in Stockholm.

A previous version of Iran Darroudi: The Painter of Ethereal Moments had been screened earlier this year in Miami on April 4 at the Iranian Cultural Society of Miami and a week later on April 10 at MIT in Boston, both screenings presented by Bahman Maghsoudlou. While well received at both of these screenings, a few minor changes were deemed necessary and the subsequent final version was the one premiered in Sweden.