This is Iran?

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At least he's not approvingly quoting Hitler.

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As an Iranian, I'm a huge fan of Asghar Farhadi's writing and directing style particularly because of the unparalleled realism in his work. While watching his movies, specially A Separation and About Eli, I sometimes wonder how he can put himself in place of so many different characters in various situations and think of a natural thing to say or do. I sometimes challenge myself to coming up with something that feels more real in a scene with almost never managing to beat Farhadi on a dialog. I know that you may not be able to feel such realism because of the language barrier but I assure you that it is so...

As an Iranian, I feel so proud this movie represented my country and I recommend it to any one who has a taste for international movies.
As for Nader's relationship with his daughter, I'm a bit disappointed that you find it surprising. My father was my first friend and has always been so close to me just like every other loving and caring father. Yes, sometimes he was tired and frustrated for everyday life problems but in the end of the day he had time to listen to my stories, bike his ride with me to get some ice-cream together and cuddle me so I know he's there for me. And he's not the only father that I know who's his daughter's bestie!

But I know how media can affect the way people think, creating stereotypes. The same was my overall idea of American people because they were always pictured as non-religious, commitment-avoiding individuals but when I moved to the States, I found most of them very religious who are married and have families.

As a matter of fact, I've invited my American friends this weekend to watch this movie together :)


(4,8,15,16,23,42)EXECUTE

I wasn't surprised at the depiction, but it was different to any portrayals we get of Iranian culture in Iran.

The window into their world was what made this movie so interesting to me. I live in a fairly secular environment and it was fascinating to see the part religion plays in their lives.

The religious aspect was brought home when the carer had to ring up some religious authority to find out if it was okay to change the old man's clothes.

The legal system also looked terribly chaotic, and arbitrary, with individuals passing sentences and all the involved people able to but in at any time.

I choose to believe what I was programmed to believe

There is an Iranian, Russian, and Turkik (Bashghir not Turkey or Azari) that all say roughly the same thing: a ushers you go, sky is blue and grass is green. People are people and the basic inherit acts of humans are the same. They are born and they shall die, they care for their children and want to have fun and bread to eat. US Americans like soft bread and sweet foods, Iranians like thin, crispy bread and sour foods, Russians like hard bread and soft foods. These are not differences in people but just taste preferences due to geography! What makes the great gap between people is education or lack thereof. If politics govern for you to think of one another as evil, barbaric, vicious then you shall be educated in those lines by media to think that way. I am not Iranian but I have been there as a child and adult, before and after the Islamic regime. The culture itself is/ was as warm if not warmer than many of the western culture. The existing government has made some distances but the core of people is still human. Parents love their children and provide for them, and vice versa. Husbands and wives have good times and hard times like everyone else and people enjoy fun times and hospitality is a virtue and a duty to others. Some are deeply religious and moral and some are deeply religious and lie, cheat, and screw others in a heart beat, just like west and USA. Some are not religious at all. Some believe if you are not Muslim you shall go to hell, just like the First Church of Christ followers that believe if you are not in their church you are not going to heaven!
I have been asked so many strange questions by westerners about life and people in Soviet Union, Iran, Turkey, and Europe and USA. Please keep in mind the strange assumptions goes both ways. I had a 62 year old man in US asking me if the damn commies (communists) have screws!? So to my face he is classifying me as a "damn commie"! I just smiled and replied that if he recalls we sent Sputnik up first so does he thinks we nailed the satellite together? He said that he had heard in the army that soviets are behind times!! I also informed him that only 11 of the 270 million soviets are members of the party. I had a German to tell me that Muslims wipe their behind with their hands not toilet paper. I told him that they wash and then their hands and honestly I have never heard of one that didn't wash their hands and I rather kiss a muslim's hand than shake a non-Muslim since I see in public bathrooms how many men don't wash their hands. He also thought it is funny that Iran could have an Air Force since they barely have electricity.
People of Iran on the other hand don't know many things about west either and a lot of them assume the freedom and safety is is just rolling down the street and everything is take care of. They think of All Americans as Yankees, not realizing it is an insult to the southerners to be called that!
Some of the Iranian young generation in 1985 didn't believe that there are homeless and hungry people in USA. The young mates in USSR thought everyone in USA is happy and a rock and roll singer, a great car in their garge and streets are made of gold, everyone is rich and secure. They never knew what insurance is or the fact that USA doesnt have national health care. I didn't know that over 1/4 of the homeless are war veterans! Many Iranians don't know that Germans had coupons for food ration for almost 20 years after WWII.
Fortunately, there is a change and we have a tool now that shall educate the eager minds; the Internet. Not that I promote you should believe everything you read or see on it but you shall see different sides and shall be able to deduce your conclusions. People are rapidly becoming more and more aware of the fact that the greedy owners of the earth through their puppet politicians are the reason for the misinformation and eventually it will be very hard to fool people comparing to now.
Generally, common sense is a great indicator of what you see in the movie. If all the Nazi and SS can't shoot worth a lick then there is something wrong with the movie. If most or all the people are not similar to you in most ways, if the cowboys ride I to town looking clean out of the dry leaning and everyone in the 16th century England, France, USA or Iran, India or Mars looks like they just came out of shower with nice haircut then you can bet there something off. And "Argo" is not an exception, apparent even from the previews.
Best wishes for open mind for all.

The western media tergiversates the perception of cultures like the Iranian. You have to remember that the media follows economic and political interests. It's in the interests of governments to keep their population ignorant and uninformed. That way the next time they have to justify a war using phony reasons they just cater to the misguided perception you have on middle easterners as animals or monsters and it becomes simpler to get support for the war with little justification.

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