“Iran is planning its own version of the Ben Affleck movie “Argo,” The New York Times reports, upset about what it calls the Hollywood flick’s “Islamophobia.” The movie, to be called “The General Staff,” is expected to give an accounting of the 1979 Islamic revolution and the U.S. hostage crisis from the perspective of the Iranian regime. It will reportedly be directed by Ataollah Salmanian and financed by the Iranian government’s Art Bureau. “This film, which will be a huge production, should be an appropriate answer to the film ‘Argo,’ which lacks a proper view of historical events,” Salmanian reportedly told the Iranian news agency Mehr this week. Iran’s revolutionary students sparked a political crisis in the United States when they took 52 American diplomats hostage for 444 days and contributed to former President Carter’s resounding loss…………….”

The Iranian cinema industry, the part that the outside world is aware of and watches, seems to be moving along two main tracks.
On the one hand are the superb acclaimed films produced by independent free-spirited film makers, some of which have won international acclaim and awards. The last one was “A Separation” that got an Oscar last year. These films have survived and thrived under the theocracy, perhaps because film-makers have to be creative to deliver their critical message under state scrutiny and censorship. But some of these artists are also in prison for supporting opposition protests and others are in exile and the censors are reportedly becoming more intrusive. Artists everywhere are by nature wary and skeptical of politicians, and for good reason.
On the other hand there are epic historical films that are sponsored by the government. Cecil B. DeMille type films. Usually many of these officially-sponsored films evolve around ancient historical figures and events, including prophets (cinematic impersonation of prophets seems to be acceptable in Iran although it is not allowed in most other Muslim countries). Iranian films are also sometimes produced as a reaction to, and to counter, some Western films involving Iran. (My own favorite Middle East films were those old ones produced in Egypt, up until the 1960s. After that it has been mostly a steep downhill slide in quality for Egyptian cinema).
I have posted a few relevant links here, for your reading and (mainly) for my own archival purposes:


Holy Moses? Official Iranian Film Digs up Ancient Zionists, Snubs the First

Regime Cinema: the Iranian Obsession with British Plots

Creativity in a Theocracy: One Iranian Film on its Way to the Oscars

Cheers
mhg