In Recognition of International Women’s Day.

City Walls - My Own Private Tehran

Collision
UK / 4 min / Dir: Max Hattler / Animation / 2005 / Byron Premiere
Islamic patterns and American quilts and the colours and geometry of flags as an abstract field of reflection.

Ismini Melek Koydum (I Named Her Angel)
USA / 30 min / Dir: Nefin Dinc / Documentary / 2006 / Australian Premiere
A different view of Islam through the eyes of a twelve year-old Turkish girl. Learns the basics of this religion she attends the religious den of Whirling Dervishes and learns the teaching of Mevlana, known as Rumi in the West, as well as how to do the Sema (whirling.) The film attempts to show a different view of Islam through the eyes of a twelve years-old Turkish girl.
Turkish with subtitles

City Walls - My Own Private Tehran
Switzerland / 87 min / Dir: Afsar Sonia Shafie / 2006 / Australian Premiere
In a very private, sensitive and exemplary way City walls - My own private Tehran portraits remarkable mothers and women who, with every generation, gradually managed to free themselves from the chains of the oppressive patriarchal order. It shows us the emancipation of women in Iran in three generations.

Five years ago Afsar Sonia Shafie took a chance offered to her to leave Iran, to continue her film studies in Switzerland. Through her return to her country and family she offers us an intimate insight modern life for Iranian women. The journey takes us over no less than half a century of an Iranian family history. At the centre of the story are three women of three different generations of remarkable mothers and women who, with every generation, gradually managed to free themselves from the chains of the oppressive patriarchal order.