Last night, I was on my way to a theater for the screening of Ardeshir Mohasses: The Rebellious Artist at the Palm Beach Film Festival when I received the sad news: My good friend, Youssef Shahab, had passed away in Los Angeles the previous evening. Two weeks ago, Iranian cinema lost Amir Houshang Kavousi, and now, another gem is gone.
Shahab, a pioneer among sound engineers, was educated in the United States. His keen ear for sound was accompanied by a sharp eye for film, allowing him to overcome significant obstacles in order to participate in one of the first direct sound recordings (after The Brick and the Mirror, directed by Ibrahim Golestan) for The Report, directed by Abbas Kiarostami in 1977.
He was honest, dedicated, and innovative, never failing to take initiative in his approach to sound recording. I had the privilege of conducting an interview with him about his career in Iranian cinema, particularly his involvement in The Report, portions of which are featured in my new feature-length documentary Abbas Kiarostami: A Report (2013). His expertise was irrefutable, and my condolences go out to his family, friends, and all lovers of Iranian cinema for their loss.
Bahman Maghsoudlou
April, 9, 2013
