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The Village Voice Blogs – It’s been quite a year for Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi. His fiance, journalist Roxana Saberi, was arrested by Iranian authorities and charged with espionage in February. After months in jail, she was released just as Ghobadi premiered his latest film (which Saberi co-wrote), Nobody Knows About the Persian Cats, in Cannes. Ghobadi, now living in Berlin, traveled to Iran recently to visit his mother–and tells us that he was thrown in jail there for seven days. He’s now back in Berlin and safe, but his homeland is erupting. We spoke via a translator (his close…

Mohammad Reza Shajarian, Iranian composer, songwriter and singer, asks the government run Radio & TV of Iran to stop broadcasting his songs. Shajarian in his letter specificly mentions his famous song “Iran, the Home of Hope” (Iran ey Seraye Omid) and says in the light of recent election events, this song has lost its meaning. Mohammad Reza Shajarian is one of the most well known artists of Iranian classic music in the international scene and has long been opposing the dictatorship and violation of human rights by the government.

Burbank, CA June 15, 2009 – Cinema Without Borders, an independent publication dedicated to international cinema, has named VUDU as the winner of its Seal Of Excellence. The 2009 iteration of the prestigious award, received by Palm Springs International ShortFest Film Festival in 2008, is bestowed upon VUDU for Excellence in HD VOD services..“Our team of film critics and experts examined and reviewed the technology and the catalogue of films offered by VUDU in High Definition and unanimously decided to grant our Seal of Excellence to VUDU.” explained Bijan Tehrani, Editor in Chief of Cinema Without Borders. “We are deeply…

Ramin, a reader of CWB in Tehran writes us in an email ”Iranian Filmmakers and actors and actresses that opposed Ahmadinejad in the recent Iranian presidential election by supporting the moderate Mirhossein Mossavi, are now scared of Ahamadinejad’s revenge. Almost no one in the Iranian film community expected Ahmadinejad’s win and now they believe this will bring about darker days and more restricted censorship [to Film]. Iranian filmmakers and actors and actresses, in a video called Green Stars posted on Youtube, went far enough to tell their audiences that a future with Ahmadinejad will be a disaster for art and…

VIENNA – Celebrated Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf alleged Saturday that the Iranian election result had been fixed by the country’s interior ministry.Makhmalbaf said he was asked to act as the spokesman of defeated presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Moussavi’s campaign abroad after their press offices were attacked and shut down by security forces in Tehran Friday. The cinematographer – best known for his film about Afghanistan, “Kandahar” – said that the interior ministry had changed the outcome of Friday’s elections in President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s favour. In a statement issued in Vienna, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran quoted Makhmalbaf as…

Twenty leading creators from the fields of film directing, writing, acting, production, distribution and education met with José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, to exchange their views on the impact that images and cinema have on the identity of Europe and the way Europeans identify with their home continent. The President who had followed the Academy’s invitation to take the meeting under his patronage stated that the European Union is perceived by many citizens “mainly as an economic union,” and demanded: “We have to concentrate more on the emotional side of Europe.”The meeting took place in the framework…

American film and theater actor, director, and producer John Malkovich will accept a Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema at the 44th Karlovy Vary IFF. Born to a family with journalistic roots, John Malkovich originally studied ecology but then later switched to dramatic arts. In 1976 in Chicago, he founded the avant-garde Steppenwolf Theatre Company with Gary Sinise and others fellow students. There he provided acting, directing, and art directing services, and took Obie and Joseph Jefferson Awards for his portrayal of Lee in Sam Shepard’s True West. He established himself in film with his first role,…

New York, NY — Japan Society confirms its lineup for the third annual JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film. Running June 30-July 12, the festival presents 18 feature length films, many never-before seen in the World, U.S. or NY, in addition to several filmmaker Q&As; and special events. As in previous years, JAPAN CUTS collaborates with the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF), which co-presents 9 films between July 1-5.JAPAN CUTS is the only large-scale annual film festival in North America celebrating the latest films from Japan, ranging from blockbusters and art-house hits to cutting-edge independents and innovative animations.…

Aspen Film announced today that film festival professional Michael DeVous Jr. has been named Communications Manager. Mr. DeVous will be responsible for Aspen Film’s external communications, including proactively managing Aspen Film’s brand and all marketing and public relations initiatives. “We have a diverse slate of festivals and film series throughout the year, along with the desire to deepen our reach and scope in the Roaring Fork Valley. We are pleased to welcome a seasoned professional who intimately understands the unique challenges of marketing and publicizing a non-profit film arts organization. Michael’s expertise and enthusiasm for film are key qualities that…

The Karlovy Vary Film Festival will once again present award-winning films from the top world festivals in its Horizons, Another View, and Open Eyes sections. Horizons is one of viewers’ favorite festival sections, and, given this year’s programming choices, it will probably remain so. As an example, the Karlovy Vary IFF has succeeded in obtaining virtually all the winning films from February’s Berlinale. “We have the movies from the Berlinale mainly thanks to our foresight in requesting them during the festival, in some cases without knowing whether or not they would win,” explains Karlovy Vary IFF artistic director Eva Zaoralová.…