An Interview with Bahman Ghobadi

An Interview with – Bahman Ghobadi – Iranian Director and Filmmaker
of “no one knows about Persian cats” – By: Halleh Nia
Good day Mr. Ghobadi. First I would like to thank you for giving us the opportunity to hold this interview. So, please tell us who is Bahman Ghobadi?

I am a 41 year old IranianKurd, in search of my destiny. I was born February 1, 1969 in Baneh, Kurdestan. My father was a policeman from Sanandaj, who later joined the police force in Baneh, and my mother is a housewife from Baneh. I come from a family of 7 children. I was the fourth child. My parents divorced when I was 18 and that placed a great responsibility on my shoulders, taking the burden of providing for myself and at times for my family.

Do you have a family of your own, are you married?
No, I have not had the time. I have been so involved in my own ventures that the thought of having the responsibility of having a family of my own has not even occurred to me. All my thoughts and desires have been to be able to support my immediate family (parents and siblings) and make a comfortable life for them.

So where did it all start? When did you fall in love with making films and voicing your stance on social issues through the lens of the camera?

It’s a funny story. In our small village of Baneh, we only had two movie theatres. But, what attracted me to the theatre was not the actual film experience, it was the sandwich buffet next to the theatre. My love for food, their specialty sandwiches wrapped in paper was what took me to the theatre. To me the experience of biting into those delicious sandwiches while watching the films was a fulfilling experience that to this day remains a clear picture in my mind. So bottom line you could say cinematography was not my first love, but the satisfaction and pleasure and the whole movie experience is what encouraged me to pursue the art of film.

That is a great story and not too many people can say that their desire for delicious food was key to their success. So what happened next?

I moved to Sanandaj, where my father lived. Because I was familiar with the “Sourani Kurdi” language. I was able to get a job at the local TV station. Eventually a friend of my fathers who was an artist saw my talents in photography and encouraged me to pursue making an 8-millimeter film, which I sent to a Film Festival. I earned first place and a gold medal for my first animated film. It was then that I started attending the University of Film and Culture but, I never ended up getting my degree.

So I guess it has been a long journey! Your exposure to Film was limited because of your demographics but how did you come about becoming such a famed filmmaker and what motivated you to get involved with your latest film “No one knows about the Persian Cats”?

Yes, you are absolutely right. I had lots of limitations when it came to pursuing the art of film making, but I guess my passion concerning social issues and the events happening in Iran naturally attracted me to discovering this underground forum for music lovers, those who had been oppressed by the regime because of the genre of music, as well as many other factors, forced them to go underground with their music. It all started by accident there is a lot of truth to the story of the characters in the film. It was a friend of mine, Mr. Mohamad Hossein Abkari, who helped me follow their story and the underlying message behind the film. I am not politically motivated and have never had an interest in politics. In Iran, however, the social structure and the momentum of events naturally forces one to address political issues. This film opened my eyes to the harsh systematic process of the oppressive society that Iran has claimed for itself. I love Iran and never thought for a moment that I would be leaving that soil and not look back, but under the circumstances that this film delivered, I had to give up this right of going back home. The truth is that young Iranians are caged in their own country, government of Iran and no one can deny this fact.

Has this film “No One Knows About the Persian Cats” been on the cinema screen in Iran, or better yet seen by any one in Iran?

No, not officially. The film is banned in Iran due to its political statement, but I am sure that the people have had the opportunity to screen it on the internet or through the underground film industry in Iran.

Where do you reside at this time and what are your plans for the near future?

I am a wanderer, I am all over the place. I can say that I probably spend most of my time in Kurdistan, Iraq. I also spend a lot of time in Berlin, Germany. I am in the process of getting my Green Card and eventually would like to have a residence in NY. As an artist you can place the images that you foresee for the people of your motherland on the screen and it is my wish that these images can become part of the reality of life at some point in time.