No dogs (or music) allowed
Film takes a haunting look at Iran’s ban on secular music
By Chris Jay 03/31/2011
No One Knows About Persian Cats should be absolute required viewing for anyone who has ever been in a band, is currently in a band or has any aspirations of being in a band. While the music industry in the United States may be in a steady decline, it’s far from illegal. For the characters in Bahman Ghobadi’s No One Knows About Persian Cats, which takes place in modern-day Iran, their struggle to make music in any capacity is a dangerous pursuit.
Based on real people, places and events, the film tells the story of Ashkan and Negar, two 20-something indie rock-loving musicians who dream of leaving Iran to perform abroad. In their quest to find fellow band members — as well as passports and visas — the film takes the viewer on a journey of underground music in Iran. It’s a place where simple things that are taken for granted in most parts of the world, such as electrical power, instruments and even a worn-out copy of the British music magazine NME, are cherished.
Told in an almost documentary style, the central characters, with the help of their bootlegging friend Nader, brilliantly portrayed by Hamed Behdad, travel to different locations throughout the city of Tehran to scout potential musicians for their band. On their sometimes comical but often scary journey, we’re introduced to artists performing different styles of modern music and the bizarre locations where they are forced to practice. From the metal band that must rehearse in a barn next to cattle and their feces (which causes their drummer to be hospitalized) to the alternative band that waits patiently on the roof for a neighbor to go to the store so members can practice for 15 minutes, the young artists we are introduced to have one thing in common: a love and passion for music that is so overwhelming they risk their own safety and limited freedom just to play it.
The beauty of that passion translates into the movie’s many live performances, which cover a variety of styles, but nearly every time the viewer gets lost in that music, we’re jarred back to the reality of the situation, where grown men beg not to be lashed for possessing foreign DVDs and where dogs and cats are not allowed to be in public — hence the film’s title. Arguably one of the film’s most chilling, but thankfully brief, scenes is a police officer’s tearing of a dog out of its frightened owner’s hands. While we don’t see exactly what happens next, it’s very much implied.
It’s not a heartwarming story, and the film probably would have received more attention if the ending was positive rather than completely bleak, but perhaps it was the filmmakers’ intention to focus on the harsh reality of the situation. It is important to note, and it would have been a benefit to the viewer to know at the end, that in reality, the two stars of the film did make it out of Iran and are now living and performing in London. Due to the release of this film, though, they, along with the director, are not welcome back in their home country.
Ultimately, No One Knows About Persian Cats succeeds on two different levels. First, it’s an eye-opening look at the oppression that such a universally positive and healthy thing like music is up against with the current regime in Iran.
Secondly, and most importantly, it’s a testament to the fact that even in the darkest of places and times, music can be an escape and give hope when and where it’s needed the most.
No One Knows About Persian Cats will screen at the Museum of Ventura County, 100 E. Main St., on Tuesday, April 5, at 7 p.m. as part of the Ventura Film Society’s 2011 series. For more information and advance tickets, visit www.venturafilmsociety.com or call 628-2299.
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What a wonderfully penned review of "No One Knows About Persian Cats". I had the privilege of seeing this film previously and voted, along with MANY others, to select it for our (VFS) 2011 repertoire at the Museum. You, Jay have summed this film up in the exact way one hopes another will receive it.
I look forward to hearing you play tomorrow night at the screening!