Author: Bijan Tehrani

Since the early days of Hollywood, war has served as fertile ground for dramatic storytelling—but often at the cost of truth. The American film industry has repeatedly aligned itself with the political and ideological aims of the U.S. government, particularly during times of conflict. From World War II to the Cold War, from Vietnam to the post-9/11 wars in the Middle East, Hollywood has not only shaped public opinion about America’s enemies but also vilified entire nations, peoples, and ideologies, often reducing them to caricatures. The result is a legacy of films that blur the line between entertainment and propaganda,…

Cinema, from its earliest days, was never merely a tool for entertainment. It became a medium for reflecting human suffering, recounting tragedies, and recording memories that official histories sometimes overlook. Among the many narratives brought to life on the silver screen, films that depict the bombing of innocent civilians and the killing of noncombatants hold a special place. These works are valuable not only for their harrowing imagery and sweeping devastation but for their human perspective, serving as a mirror to the silenced victims of war. These films often center not on those with guns or in military ranks, but…

The atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, remains one of the most devastating events in human history, not only for the immediate loss of life but for the long shadow it has cast over generations. In the world of cinema, this catastrophe has served as a haunting source of reflection, a moral reckoning, and a call for remembrance. Films that confront the bombing of Hiroshima do not merely recount the historical facts—they attempt to give voice to the silenced, image to the unseen, and humanity to the statistics. The earliest cinematic responses came from Japan itself, where the…

Israeli cinema, much like the country itself, is deeply entangled in the complexities of conflict, identity, memory, and moral reckoning. Among its most powerful contributions to global film is a notable strand of anti-war and self-critical works that dare to look inward—films that question the nation’s actions, interrogate its history, and expose the psychological cost of endless war, occupation, and militarization. These films stand in stark contrast to nationalist narratives, choosing instead to confront uncomfortable truths and challenge the official myths that shape collective consciousness. In a country where military service is not only compulsory but culturally valorized, the very…

War cinema has always been a stage for reflecting the darkness and light within humanity—from the voiceless cries of victims to the hope that survives beneath the rubble. Among these works, Life Is Beautiful (La vita è bella) by Roberto Benigni stands out as one of the most brilliant examples of anti-war cinema—a film that, through poetic language, bitter humor, and a deeply human perspective, offers a unique portrayal of the horrors of World War II. Life Is Beautiful unfolds in two halves.In the first, we witness the love story of a man named Guido—a witty, imaginative, and endlessly hopeful…

In these bitter days of Israeli army invasion of Iran, perhaps the only thing left to speak of is anti-war cinema. Alongside Rome, Open City, Rossellini made other films in this domain as well. The film Il Generale Della Rovere (General Della Rovere) is one of the most outstanding examples of anti-war cinema, both in Italy and worldwide. Made in 1959, it marked Rossellini’s proud return to narrative filmmaking after several semi-documentary and television experiments. The story not only opposes war and violence but, with a humanistic yet bitter tone, exposes moral corruption and the duality of human behavior under…

Now that Iran is caught in a devastating and inhumane urban war in the Middle East, I want us to take a look at the images portrayed in some of the world’s films that depict the disasters of war — a body of work that can be called anti-war cinema. This is one of the most important artistic and moral movements in the history of world cinema — a movement that stands against the glorification of violence and the creation of military heroes, striving instead to reveal the true and terrifying face of war: a face covered in dust, blood,…

Burbank, CA. May 29th, 2025 – At Cinema Without Borders Foundation, we are proud to announce a new partnership with Spain’s esteemed Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival (EMIFF) to present our Bridging The Borders Award—a distinguished honor celebrating global cinema that builds bridges across cultures, geographies, and communities. Since its inception fourteen years ago, the Bridging The Borders Award has been a symbol of international solidarity and cinematic diplomacy, offered at both local and global film festivals. “The idea behind the award has been to connect people across the globe through the power of film,” said Bijan Tehrani, Editor-in-Chief of…

On Saturday May 17th 2025, East Los Angeles College & Cinema and Without Borders will celebrated the 10th anniversary of the annual ELAC International Animation Day Festival, dedicated to Latvian Animation. This event was held at East Los Angeles College The goal of the ELAC International Animation Festival is to give an in-depth and entertaining introduction to contemporary international animation. Screenings of short, animated films from around the world, analyses, and Q&As with a panel of well-known animation experts, and a tribute to an international animation artist working in the U.S. animation industry are all part of the festival program.…

Dissident Iranian director Jafar Panahi has won the Palme d’Or for best film for It Was Just an Accident at the 78th Cannes international film festival. Panahi, who just a few years ago was imprisoned in Tehran and under a 20-year travel and work ban, returned triumphantly to Cannes, accepting his award from jury president (and vocal Panahi fan) Juliette Binoche. Panahi’s film, his first since being released from prison in 2023, is a direct assault on Iran’s authoritarian regime. The thriller follows a former political prisoner who kidnaps a man he believes to be his torturer and then debates with other dissidents whether to kill or…