UCLA Celebration of Iranian Cinema: Nasib Nasibi
Schedule
Sat Jun 13 2026 at 07:30 pm to 09:30 pm
UTC-07:00Location
Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum | Los Angeles, CA
About this Event
Please note: Registration does not guarantee entry if the event reaches capacity. Admission is granted on a first come, first served basis.
Patrons who have registered will need to obtain their free tickets at the box office, where seating will be assigned. Any seats remaining 15 minutes before showtime will be released to standby patrons.
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In person: curators Arta Barzanji, Hadi Alipanah (via video).
Cinema-ye Azad: Nasib Nasibi
Cinema-ye Azad, or Free Cinema, was an underground movement of filmmakers in Iran that began in 1969, with the explicit aim of creating a fully independent cinema opposed to the mainstream “Filmfarsi” in both form and content, methods and ideals. Where the better-known, contemporaneous Iranian New Wave predominantly consisted of foreign-educated, Tehran-based middle-class filmmakers, Cinema-ye Azad consisted of self-taught filmmakers, sharing resources and knowledge with one another to bring the possibility of cultural production to disadvantaged provinces. At its height, Cinema-ye Azad boasted hundreds of active members, a critical magazine and festivals around the country, but the dream was short-lived as the movement ceased activities after the revolution. Its works, however, are being rediscovered thanks to the dedication of curators and archivists in London and Iran. As part of this year's UCLA Celebration of Iranian Cinema, the Archive is pleased to present two screenings highlighting the films of two key Cinema-ye Azad figures, Nasib Nasibi and Behnam Jafari.
Program curated by Arta Barzanji and Shaghayegh Raoufi with research and archival support from Hadi Alipanah. Film notes written by Arta Barzanji.
How Frightening Is the Darkness of the Soul!
Iran, 1972
How Frightening Is the Darkness of the Soul! is an avant-garde film poem about drowning in a world of madness in search of true liberation. It highlights the close connections between literary and theatrical circles and the filmmaker's approach to avant-garde cinema. Initially, the main character attempts to escape the monotony of daily life by immersing herself in a world of madness. The film is a journey through the path she takes.
DCP, b&w, in Persian with English subtitles, 60 min. Director: Nasib Nasibi. Screenwriters: Nasib Nasibi, Abbas Nalbandian. With: Mahvash Bargi, Farhad Majd Abadi, Shokooh Najm Abadi.
Preceded by
From Isfahan to Abarkooh
Iran, 1970
A report on historical buildings, legends and traditions along the route from Isfahan to Shiraz, passing through regions including Mahyar, Shahreza, Ziaratgah, Aminabad, and Izadkhast. The film mixes documentary observation with the poetic vision seen in Nasib Nasibi’s later works.
DCP, b&w, in Persian with English subtitles, 23 min. Director: Nasib Nasibi. Screenwriters: Nasib Nasibi, Abbas Nalbandian. With: Bahram Ardabili.
Where is it happening?
Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
