TEHRAN – Three Iranian documentaries will be screened at the 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival in the US city.
Director Taqi Amirani’s acclaimed documentary Coup 53, Sarvnaz Alambaizi’s Meidegol and Farahnaz Sharifi’s The Stolen Planet will be featured at the event, which will run from February 4th to 15th. It will be exhibited at.
Coup 53 tells the compelling story of a documentary that focuses on the 1953 Anglo-American coup in Iran. Filmmaker Taghi Amirani, along with editor Walter Murch, unearths an incredible trove of never-before-seen archival material.
Through a combination of documents and 16mm footage, the film tells this pivotal event in unprecedented detail, revealing explosive secrets that remained hidden for 66 years. What begins as a four-day historical documentary in August 1953 develops into a dynamic investigation that sheds light on the deep-seated tensions between Iran, Britain, and then the United States.
The documentary, a co-production between Iran, the UK and the US, won the Audience Award at the 14th Cinema Vérité, Iran’s premier international documentary film festival.
A co-production between Iran, Germany, and France, “Meidegol” depicts an Iranian Afghan teenager who challenges his conservative family and hostile environment to pursue his passion for Muay Thai boxing. The film depicts her journey of empowerment and resilience as she strives for freedom in the face of adversity.
An Iranian-German co-production, “My Stolen Planet” tells the story of an Iranian woman who is forced to escape to her own world in order to be free. In the form of Super 8 film and sound recordings, she purchases the memories of others, archives her own, and uses them to create an alternate history of her hometown.
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is an acclaimed 11-day event held every February in Santa Barbara, California since 1986.
This premier film festival screens a diverse lineup of over 200 feature and short films from around the world, providing a platform for great cinema and global cultural exchange.
In addition to film screenings, SBIFF will also feature celebrity tributes, insightful industry panels, and educational programs. Its rich history includes many notable honorees, including Cate Blanchett, Guillermo del Toro, and Martin Scorsese.
The festival also focuses on promoting diversity in film, with a particular focus on Hispanic filmmakers since 2006. In addition, SBIFF’s “Cinema Society” expands its programming throughout the year at Santa Barbara’s Riviera Theater, offering a constant flow of films. Bringing joy to local communities.
Photo: A scene from Coup 53 by Taki Amirani
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