Vertigo Doctors say the cause of my vertigo is a disorder of the inner ear. But I know perfectly well that the real culprits are Hitchcock, Parviz Davayi(1), Sepid o Siah magazine(2), and Kim Novak’s beautiful shoulders. They are the reasons I have watched Vertigo two hundred and sixty-five times. Hitchcock, with the magic of his images; Parviz Davayi, with that enchanted, romantic series of essays he wrote about the film; Sepid o Siah, the weekly everyone read from back to front, whose final word always belonged to Davayi; and Kim Novak, whose shoulders were signs of a kind of…
Author: Bijan Tehrani
Bijan Tehrani
Bijan (Hassan) Tehrani Founder and Editor in Chief of Cinema Without Borders, is a film director, writer, and a film critic, his first article appeared in a weekly film publication in Iran 45 years ago. Bijan founded Cinema Without Borders, an online publication dedicated to promotion of international cinema in the US and around the globe, eighteen years ago and still works as its editor in chief. Bijan is has also been a columnist and film critic for the Iranian monthly film related medias for 45 years and during the past 5 years he has been a permanent columnist and film reviewer for Film Emrooz (Film Today), a popular Iranian monthly print film magazine. Bijan has won several awards in international film festivals and book fairs for his short films and children's books as well as for his services to the international cinema. Bijan is a member of Iranian Film Writers Critics Society and International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI). He is also an 82nd Golden Globe Awards voter.
On Saturday, May 16, 2026, East Los Angeles College and Cinema Without Borders will hold the 11th anniversary of the annual ELAC International Animation Day Festival, dedicated to European animation. The event will take place at East Los Angeles College. The focus country of the festival will be announced in mid-February 2026. The goal of the ELAC International Animation Day Festival is to provide an in-depth and engaging introduction to contemporary international animation. The program includes screenings of short animated films from around the world, critical analysis, Q&A sessions with a panel of well-known animation experts, and a tribute to…
The late Bahram Beyzaie is a part of all of us. We have lived with his stories, plays, and films—from Uncle Moustache (Amu Sabilo) to When We Are All Asleep (Vaghti Hame Khabim). For any filmmaker anywhere in this galaxy, a single masterpiece like Bashu, the Little Stranger (Bashu, Gharibeh-ye Koochak) would be enough to take pride in a lifetime of cinema. In that film, Beyzaie—much like Hafez, whose enduring ghazals contain the full imprint of their age—created a timeless work about all the wars of the world: a film that recounts the anguish of displacement and celebrates the grandeur…
Ardeshir Farah’s music has always felt to me like a lived truth rather than a manufactured fusion. When we talk about artists who genuinely embody more than one culture, Farah stands among the rare few whose sound is not the result of strategy or trend, but of biography, memory, and instinct. His guitar speaks a language shaped by deep Iranian roots, years of displacement, and an intimate, organic dialogue with Latin music that never feels borrowed or superficial. Born in Tehran, Farah’s earliest relationship with music was formed in an environment where melody carried weight and dignity. Iranian musical culture,…
Most film critics keep a “sacred list” of their favorite filmmakers and films — a small circle that rarely changes. These lists usually include the same handful of names, and newcomers are seldom welcomed into this elite group. Yet, every once in a while, a film or filmmaker emerges with such undeniable power and charm that it breaks through the rigid walls of cinematic tradition and earns a place among the untouchables. When I first saw The Follies, it immediately took hold of me — it was love at first sight. Also, I’ve never liked the cliché of calling Rodrigo…
Last week, Sandra Lipski is the founder and director of the Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival, announced the winner of Cinema Without Borders’ Bridging the Borders Award at the closing ceremony of 14th Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival. Sandra Lipski read CWB’s jury statement in fron of over 600 people at the Mallorca’s Opera house: “The jury of the Cinema Without Borders’ Bridging the Borders Award is proud to present this year’s award to Majini, directed by Joshua Neubert and Victor Muhagachi from Germany. Majini tells the moving story of a young boy who cannot swim but must brave the sea alongside his brother when their father falls…
Cinema Without Borders jury announced the winners of the Bridging The Borders Award for 2025 Lucas International Film Festival for Young Film Lovers in Germany. GIRLS DON’T CRY a documentary film by Sigrid Klausmann and Lina Luzyte wins 2025 Bridging The Borders Award and our Honorary Mention goes to the OLIVIA AND THE INVISIBLE EARTHQUAKE Directed by Irene Iborra Rizo. Bridging the Borders Award is offered by Cinema Without Borders Foundation and sponsored by 360 MEDIA Consulting Kelly Barger, one of the jury members announced the winner of Bridging the Borders Award and also the Honorary Mention in a video…
On Tuesday, October 21, at 7:00 PM, the Cinema Without Borders Foundation honored acclaimed filmmaker Rodrigo García with its prestigious Bridging the Borders Award, recognizing his lifetime achievements and contributions to global cinema, at the beautiful Laemmle Royal Theatre in Santa Monica. The Bridging the Borders Award—previously bestowed on legendary filmmakers such as Andrzej Wajda and Asghar Farhadi—places García in distinguished company. Before a packed audience of film industry professionals, Bijan Tehrani, President and Founder of Cinema Without Borders, welcomed the attendees: https://vimeo.com/1129957812 After Bijan’s introduction, The Follies — the latest film by Rodrigo García — was screened. The Follies,…
Raymond & Ray Rodrigo García’s intimate comedy-drama about two half-brothers drafted into the strangest possible last act of filial duty, is the rare film that breathes with lived-in feeling from its very first frame and keeps deepening as it goes. Ewan McGregor (as Raymond) and Ethan Hawke (as Ray) arrive like two sides of a single wounded coin—one taut with manners and denial, the other loose with charm and habit—but what García pulls off is a duet in which both men gradually find the same rhythm, a rhythm that only grief, memory, and shared humiliation can teach. The premise could…
On Tuesday, October 21st at 7:00 PM, the Cinema Without Borders Foundation will honor acclaimed filmmaker Rodrigo García with its prestigious Bridging the Borders Award, recognizing his lifetime achievements and his contributions to global cinema. Legendary filmmakers such as Andrzej Wajda and Asghar Farhadi have previously received this award, placing García in distinguished company. The celebration will be held at the Laemmle Royal Theater, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd, 1st Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90025. The evening will begin with a special screening of García’s latest feature, The Follies, a film that has already been praised for its lyrical storytelling and…