SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)

Monthly Film Screening: In Search of a Healer & Throw a Stone into the Water

Hassan Solhjoo’s film career goes back to more than 20 years ago when he started to make short films in Iran. He has made many short films in and outside Iran for which he has since received several awards, including the Best Film for Fish Talking (2008) from New York International Short Film Festival. He is also a senior producer at the BBC World Service where he has been working as presenter and producer of a documentary showcase in BBC Persian TV since 2008.

His two short documentaries to be screened are:

In Search of a Healer (27 mins.) is about a nine year old girl who claims prophet Mohammad, Ayatollah Khomeini and other religious figures have given her the power to cure sicknesses of people coming from all over Iran to visit her. The film, which is to be screened for the first time, delves into the politics of religiosity in Iran.

Throw a Stone into the Water (53 mins.) is about the internationally renowned filmmaker Bahman Farmanara who is unable to make films inside Iran for political restrictions and is looking to find sources of funding to make his next film outside the country. Censorship and the struggle against it in contemporary Iran are the film’s focus.

Tickets: £2 on the door