About

Two major projects are presented at the Australian Cinémathèque for APT6: Promised Lands and The Cypress and the Crow: 50 Years of Iranian Animation, which encompass diverse video and filmmaking practices, genres and makers, working across cinema and contemporary art. Three filmmakers are also included among the APT6 artists, and will be profiled with retrospective seasons during the exhibition: Takeshi Kitano (Japan), Ang Lee (Taiwan/USA), Rithy Panh(Cambodia/France).

Australian Cinémathèque programs include films that have not been officially classified in Australia. These films have been assigned age recommendations as a guide only. Parents and teachers are advised to contact the Cinémathèque if they would like more information as to the content and suitability of the films.

The Cypress and the Crow: 50 Years of Iranian Animation

The art of animation in Iran today draws on the artistic heritage of textile design, Persian folk tales and literature, calligraphy and miniature painting, as well as the motifs of interior design, ceramics and architecture. Animation is recognised in Iran as a medium which is closely related to drawing, painting and the graphic arts. This landmark program profiles influential senior figures, including Esfandiar Ahmadieh, Abdollah Alimorad, Vadjollah Fard Moghadam, Ali Akbar Sadeghi and Noureddin Zarrinkelk, through to the current generation of talented emerging artists, including Morteza Ahadi, Laleh Khorramian, Omid Khoshnazar, Mashallah Mohammadi, Moin Samadi, Farkhondeh Torabi and others.

Many animations in The Cypress and the Crow: 50 Years of Iranian Animation feature animal figures — the crow, mouse, fox, goat and many more — which have literary and symbolic associations, and may be alter egos for humanity. The crow appears frequently in literature and animation as an animal which exhibits the baser human traits — selfishness, suspicion and greed — but is also crafty and intelligent. The cypress, sacred in Iran, is associated with the tree of life. In the Islamic tradition, the tree of life is found in heaven and harbours brightly coloured birds, representing the souls of the faithful; it may also represent the human body and aspirations to the divine. Infinitely varied in their reworking of cultural forms, animations from Iran express historical lineages and geographical relationships to create extraordinary visual worlds and produce new identities and forms.

List of Works

Abedi Hambazi (Playmate) 1989 | Director: Mohammad Reza
Abedi Noghli va boloorhaye barf (Noghli and the Snow Crystals) 1989 | Director: Mohammad Reza
Abedi Ghete gomshode (The Lost Piece) 1993 | Director: Mohammad Reza
Abedi Hekayate shirin (The Sweet Story) 1995 | Director: Mohammad Reza
Aghazi digar (Another Beginning) 2006 | Director: Maryam Abouzari
Ahadi Safar-e bidari (The Path of Love) 2004 | Director: Seyyed Morteza
Ahadi Gonjeshk va panbeh daneh (The Sparrow and the Boll) 2007 | Director: Seyyed Morteza
Mollah Nasreddin 1957 | Director: Esfandiar Ahmadieh
Ordak Hasood (Jealous Duck) 1962 | Director: Esfandiar Ahmadieh
Zendegi (Life) 1966 | Director: Esfandiar Ahmadieh
Rostam and Esfandiar (segment) 2002 | Director: Esfandiar Ahmadieh
Tavalode Zal (Birth of Zal) 2005 | Director: Esfandiar Ahmadieh
Kaghaz va taa (Origami) 1984 | Director: Abdollah Alimorad
Kelid naghsh (The Role Key) 1990 | Director: Abdollah Alimorad
Ghesehay bazar-tooti va baghal (The Parrot and the Grocer) 1991 | Director: Abdollah Alimorad
Koohe javaher (The Jewel Mountain) 1994 | Director: Abdollah Alimorad
Vorood be donyaye aroosakha (Travelling to the Puppet World) 1995 | Director: Abdollah Alimorad
Gheseha-ye bazar (The Tales of Bazaar) 1995 | Director: Abdollah Alimorad
Yeki kam ast (One is Not Enough) 1998 | Director: Abdollah Alimorad
Bahador 2000 | Director: Abdollah Alimorad
Sepid balan (The White Wings) 2002 | Director: Abdollah Alimorad
Rouzi kalaghi (Once a Crow) 2006 | Director: Abdollah Alimorad
Tabar (The Axe) 1982 | Director: Ahmad Arabani
Ganj (Treasure) 1989 | Director: Ahmad Arabani
Noghli va golhaye Aftab-gardan (Noghli and the Sunflowers) 1993 | Director: Ahmad Arabani
En'ekas (Reflection) 1996 | Director: Ahmad Arabani
Sokoot (Silence) 1998 | Director: Ahmad Arabani
Hamneshin (Companion) 1990 | Director: Safar Ali Asgharzadeh
Bacheha ba ham (Children Together) 1994 | Director: Safar Ali Asgharzadeh
Kashti-ye Nuh (Noah's Ark) 2002 | Director: Safar Ali Asgharzadeh
Dastane sofal (The Pottery Tale) 2008 | Director: Maryam Bayani
Jaryan (The Flow) 2002 | Director: Alireza Chitaei
Khaab (The Dream) 2007 | Director: Alireza Chitaei
Man khdam peyda kardan (I Found it Myself) 2002 | Director: Behzad Farahat
Bazgasht beh khaneh (Returning Home) 2005 | Director: Behzad Farahat
Ghissihaye ye khati 1 (Simple Things 1) 2008 | Director: Behzad Farahat
Ghissihaye ye khati 2 (Simple Things 2) 2008 | Director: Behzad Farahat
Mozahem-ha (The Intruders) 1976 | Director: Vadjiollah Fard Moghadam
Taghlid (Imitation) 1979 | Director: Vadjiollah Fard Moghadam
Bazgasht (The Return) 1986 | Director: Vadjiollah Fard Moghadam
Lili Lili hosak (Lily Lily Little Pool) 1992 | Director: Vadjiollah Fard Moghadam
Why Dogs Hate Cats 2008 | Director: Lida Fazli
Keshavarz va Gav (The Farmer and the Cow) 2002 | Director: Fatemeh Goudarzi
Madar Bororgu-e Parandeh (The Flying Grandma) 2006 | Director: Fatemeh Goudarzi
War Maker 2008 | Director: Shahram Heydarian
The Good the Bad and the Love 2009 | Director: Bozorgmehr Hosseinpour
Parande-ieh sokut (Bird of Silence) 2005 | Director: Lisa Jamileh Barjesteh
Golha (Flowers) 2006 | Director: Minoo Janmohammadi
Gol parandeh va khorshid (The Flower, the Bird and the Sun) 2001 | Director: Bahram Javaheri
Baroon miad jar jar (Hajar´s Wedding) 2008 | Director: Mahin Javaherian
Untitled 2005 | Director: Sarvenaz Karimianpour
Turkmen Boy 2008 | Director: Amir Kasavandi
The Ancient Tales 2006 | Director: Ali Reza Kavian Rad
Aks (Photo) 2009 | Director: Maryam Khalilzadeh
Hich rouzi (No Days) 2006 | Director: Mohammad Reza Khanzad
The Cunning Taylor and the Young Man 2008 | Director: Rashin Kheirieh
Chi messleh chi (What's It Like?) 2004 | Director: Ali Khodaei
Sophie and Goya 2004 | Director: Laleh Khorramian
Chopperlady 2005 | Director: Laleh Khorramian
I Without End…Meanwhile 2008 | Director: Laleh Khorramian
I Without End (single channel) 2008 | Director: Laleh Khorramian
Sefr darajeh (Zero Degree) 2006 | Director: Omid Khoshnazar
Labyrinth 2007 | Director: Omid Khoshnazar
Parasite 2009 | Director: Omid Khoshnazar
The Lost Waves 2004 | Director: Amir Mehran
The Injustice Castle 2006 | Director: Amir Mehran
Aga-ye Hayoula (Mr Monster) 1970 | Director: Farshid Mesghali
Soo-e-tafahom (Misunderstood) 1970 | Director: Farshid Mesghali
Shahr-e khakestari (The Grey City) 1972 | Director: Farshid Mesghali
Pesar saz va parandeh (The Boy the Bird and the Musical Instrument) 1971 | Director: Farshid Mesghali
Kerm-e kheili kheili khoob (A Very Good Worm) 1973 | Director: Farshid Mesghali
Dobareh negah kon (Look Again) 1974 | Director: Farshid Mesghali
Mahsa 2003 | Director: Bijan Mirbagheri
Derakht bakhshande (The Generous Tree) 1993 | Director: Mohammad Moghadam
Maryam 1996 | Director: Mohammad Moghadam
Toulanitarin safar-e donya (The Longest Voyage) 1999 | Director: Mohammad Moghadam
Other Being 2006 | Director: Mashaallah Mohammadi
Pain 2006 | Director: Mashaallah Mohammadi
The Last Song of My Neighboring Girl Before They Burn All Her Dreams 2007 | Director: Mashaallah Mohammadi
Human Beings 2009 | Director: Mashaallah Mohammadi
Colourful Rains 2009 | Director: Mashaallah Mohammadi
Yek noghteh-ye sabz (A Green Dot)