The Henry is pleased to co-present two film screenings as part of the “Teller of Truth: Women, Cinema, Freedom” series of events coordinated by the University of Washington’s Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures in honor of renowned “Godmother of Iranian cinema” Rakhshan Bani-Eʿtemad. Join us for a screening of Under the Skin of the City, followed by a brief Q&A with Bani-Eʿtemad.
What do demands for social justice and political change in the Islamic Republic of Iran tell us about its society? The first anniversary of the Kurdish-inspired and female-led revolutionary movement known as Women, Life, Freedom gives occasion to address this question by revisiting the cinematic works of Rakhshan Bani-Eʿtemad whose films unapologetically focus on poverty, patriarchy, and political participation with courage and nuance. Her feature film, Under the Skin of the City (2001), made during the period of political reform (1997-2005), portrays a working family’s struggles to break free from poverty and determine their own fate. Here, Bani-Eʿtemad raises a brave question: who are the primary benefactors of political reform and social transformation?
One of Iran’s most celebrated filmmakers,
Rakhshan Bani-Eʿtemad has made wide-ranging and courageous films that tackle issues such as poverty, addiction, and misogyny. In addition to making successful feature films such as
Under the Skin of the City (2001), which won the special jury award at the Seattle International Film Festival, Bani-Eʿtemad has also made acclaimed documentaries.
Our Times (2002) was the first documentary ever to be released in movie theaters in Iran, and it was broadcast on the Franco-German television network ARTE and shown at prestigious festivals such as the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam and the Sundance Film Festival. She is dubbed the “Godmother of Iranian Cinema.”