Iran in Transit

European Day for Border Guards Screening in Poland

Blind Owl Films — Thu, 16 May 2013 03:41:31 +0000

Sometimes it’s not always about film festivals and conventional theatres. Like most artists, we create to say something and we want to say it to an audience. So it’s always an amazing opportunity to be able to show our works to an audience who might not have a chance to see them. As such, Iran in Transit has been selected to screen during this year’s European Day for Border Guards in Poland. Alongside some other short films from all over the world, this cinema section aims to show the human side to migration and borders to the people who work behind them. This annual day is ‘an opportunity to share experiences and best practice. It provides a forum for topical discussion, exchange of views between key border-management players, and a platform to bring together the worlds of public service and private industry.’

Women of Cinematic Arts

Blind Owl Films — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 01:21:56 +0000

Alice Guy – one of the most kick arse women in cinema history.

Senator Fulbright once said that nations should ‘exchange ideas, not bullets’. In a somewhat humble way we are attempting to do this through collaborations with our fellow international peeps through film. Whilst we are developing these projects (including an Iranian Israeli love story – indeed), Ghaz has begun blogging for the Women of Cinematic Arts website. The WCA was started by a fellow USC alumni member who realized that women in the industry needed more networking opportunities and organizations that helped support them and their projects in a largely male dominated arena (don’t argue with me on that, you know it’s true). With over 800 members in the WCA and a student wing at USC, it’s fantastic to be able to still be involved with the group, even from all the way down here in New Zealand. Isn’t that the beauty of art, to transcend borders? Anyway here’s the link for your perusal.

Commonwealth Writer’s Lab

Blind Owl Films — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 23:59:37 +0000

This last week, I was fortunate to have been selected to attend the first Commonwealth Writer’s Production Lab in Auckland. Commonwealth Writer’s is all about inspiring and enabling writers from all over to use their personal voice to tell stories – often from a minority point of view. This Lab in particular brought together emerging filmmakers from the Pacific and beyond including some amazing artists from Barbados, the Bahamas, Samoa, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Canada and of course, New Zealand. During the two days we were treated to talks from some established Kiwi filmmakers, including the woman we all want to be, Sima Urale, and many others including an interesting look at social media and online platforms for filmmakers. It was great to meet other like minded individuals who are all passionate about telling their own stories, those that are often not heard or seen on screen and empowering others through the medium of media. We also learned to not bitch or moan about not receiving funding – some places do not even have that infrastructure.

In particular a big thank you to Lucy Hannah (from the Commonwealth Foundation), Marc Boothe from B3 (an amazing company that helps develop talent from under represented communities in the UK) and Alex Lee (from Documentary Edge and all round awesome dude). Keep an eye out on the website, FB or Twitter site to apply next time – it’s definitely an opportunity not to be missed.

Some of the filmmakers (Photo from The Commonwealth Foundation)

Premiere in South East Asia

Blind Owl Films — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 06:54:44 +0000

We’re very proud to have our South East Asian premiere at the brand spanking new DocNet Chopshots Documentary Film Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia. DocNet is initiated by the Goethe Institute with aims to support documentary filmmaking in the region. Iran in Transit will be playing on December 8th in The Filmmaker’s Journey:

The world is changing and challenging what used to be our standard perspectives of the West and the East. This program will show how both tell their stories and even learn from one another. See how the economic crisis affected people’s lives in Iceland, observe the unique democratic process of an election in the Philippines, and witness the journey of Indonesian lesbians discovering their place in the world or the journey young women of Iranian descent visiting their homeland to learn about their roots.

from http://www.goethe.de/ins/id/lp/prj/dns/csf/fps/noc/tfj/enindex.htm

Missing in Action

Blind Owl Films — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 23:34:24 +0000

So I guess we owe a big apology as we’ve been missing in action for a couple of months! Not acceptable I know but alas we have been busy plugging away on festival submissions and new projects! We do have some exciting news that we can share soon so please stay in touch for that!

In the meanwhile, I recently had the chance to see two wonderful documentaries that share many of the same themes we tried to explore in Iran in Transit. The first, Somewhere Between (2012) by Ruby Goldstein Knowlton follows Chinese adoptee girls who grew up in the US with American families and who decide to go back to their homeland to find out more about their estranged families with sometimes amazing results. The second is the Israeli film The Flat (2012) by Arnon Goldfinger. After his grandmother’s death, Arnon goes through her belongings and discovers an incredible secret about his grandparents and their relationship to an SS officer at the beginning of WWII in Palestine. The films both highlight the fascination we all have with ancestry, memory and of course identity. (the trailer below is slightly hyper stylised, the film is a slower and not as over-dramatic)

Both Worlds

Blind Owl Films — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 22:44:39 +0000

New Zealand production company Notable Pictures has recently announced that they are looking for participants for series two of their popular ‘Both World’ television show.

The program follows 1.5 and second generation Kiwis who originate from all over the world. If you are interested in taking part check out their Facebook site or website.

“BOTH WORLDS is an innovative documentary series about ten 18-30 year old second-generation kiwis who are facing a defining moment in their lives. Giving the show a 21st century twist, participants use handicams to record their thoughts, feelings and opinions giving us an insight into the unique hopes and fears this generation and their communities face.”

Photo from Notable Pictures

Top Awards

Blind Owl Films — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 00:09:15 +0000

We would like to acknowledge that sometimes, some institutions (I repeat SOME) are not horrible, beaurocratic, dream-crushing bourgeois factories, but actual decent places with aims to educate, support and advance students to higher levels. We are please to announce that the University of Auckland Screen Production department was voted unanimously into CILECT (Centre International de Liaison des Ecoles de Cinéma et de Télévision). CILECT is the association of the world’s major film and television schools founded in Cannes in 1955. A significant number of the world’s leading film and television makers are graduates of CILECT schools and the Auckland programme is the first New Zealand member of CILECT.

We’re proud that Iran in Transit was one of the films made under this program and we’re looking forward to seeing many more amazing films to come out of it. Kudos to Annie Goldson and Shuchi Kothari and everyone in the department.

(make sure you check out their video).

Some of the students (and professor Goldson) from the University of Auckland Screen Production documentary class 2010. From left, Annie, Shanon, Brigitte, Janet, Ghazaleh and Kim.

Tel Aviv

Blind Owl Films — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 03:12:02 +0000

When Oscar Wilde travelled to the US, he was asked what he had to declare at customs. He infamously stated,

I have nothing to declare but my genius.

I had a slightly different experience wtih customs in Israel.

After an intense 5 hour flight, two hour layover and another 11 hour flight (and conversations with a lovely Israeli girl passenger), I arrived back in the Middle East and spent another two hours at customs – in a little room with other bewildered passengers wondering why they there. Though the customs folk were friendly (unlike certain LAX monsters), it was amusing, frustrasting and interesting all in all to be treated so bluntly. Once out of customs however, my experience changed and Tel Aviv (ironically or not) welcomed me with open arms.

Firstly the people in Tel Aviv (like other major cities, I feel a need to differentiate the city from most of the other towns), are beautiful, the food delicious and coffee incredible. There’s something in that holy land. I stayed with two lovely hosts, Ophir and Nuria and after a fabulous opening night, spent the rest of the week at the International Student Film Festival at the Cinematheque in the centre of Tel Aviv.

There were over 140 films to watch, masterclasses and of course parties to attent. I met some amazing people, fellow film makers and festival volunteers who had put this huge event together. There were films from all over the world including a special section on the Middle East. One of the best parts was meeting other filmmakers, many whose works were absolutely brilliant and contrary to what people usually expect from ‘student’ films.

The reception to the film was incredible and well received by the audience. We even got a mention in the national newspaper after meeting Ronny, the man who started the Israel Loves Iran campaign! What an incredible welcome for our first foray into the festival world! So thank you everyone at the festival – organisers Erez and Elaad, our man Asaph who headed the Alternative Competition, the magnfiicent Ana who made sure I came out of customs alive and well and everyone who made it such a success.

More pictures after the jump and more pics of Israel on the blog here.

Opening ceremony

ZouZou, our lead, on the big screen

with Ronny from Israel Loves Iran

Special Screening in Auckland

Blind Owl Films — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:30:56 +0000

So as part of the University of Auckland’s Best of Screen 2012, a shorter version of Iran in Transit has been selected to screen with five other thesis films at the Auckland Art Gallery tomorrow night (May 18). We’re also very proud that the film was nominated for a Geoff Evans Memorial Award.

Please go along and show your support for some fantastic student films including Chantelle Burgoyne’s fiction film Tatau and Gemma Duncan’s documentary Bridge Under the Water.

Plus the gallery is now super post-modern, hip and sexy so it’s worth it just for that.

The Big Update! Our World Premiere!

Blind Owl Films — Fri, 04 May 2012 23:05:46 +0000

We are delighted to announce that our film will be having its world premiere at the Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival next month. To add to the excitement, Iran in Transit was the winner of the alternative competition for the festival, which means Ghazaleh has won flights to attend the event! I’m picturing Ghaz sipping cocktails and schmoozing with international film makers as I write…

Ghazaleh will update the blog with her adventures in Israel soon, but in the meantime, if you haven’t heard of the Tel Aviv International Student Film Fest, it is one of the largest student film festivals in the world, attended by many film making greats and international film makers from all over the globe. Such a validation after the long journey from the editing suite to getting the documentary out there in the world!

Iran in Transit is the only New Zealand film to premiere there this year. Check out the website – we made the news alongside The Dictator