A cultural organization at OU hosted an Oscar-winning movie night

The president of the Iranian Student Association describes good qualities of the movie. Toney, runs :37


A film and video studies professor describes the themes of the movie. Toney, runs :38



CASSI TONEY
Nov. 19, 2012

NORMAN – The Iranian Student Association hosted a movie night to showcase the Oscar-winning Iranian film called “A Separation” in Meacham on Monday.

The event included an introduction speech by Dr. Misha Nedeljkovich, an OU film and video studies professor, the two-hour long movie and discussion with Nedeljkovich after the movie. About 40 people came to the free event.

“The movie is about a couple with a teenage daughter going through a divorce and criminal charges involving an accident,” Nedeljkovich said.

Nedeljkovich said good films always have enduring questions and deeper issues.
“It’s a very difficult to watch this film,” Nedeljkovich said. “You can only watch it once.”

Nedeljkovich said the enduring themes of the movie are separation, from the title, and white lies.

“It’s a time-release film where after you leave, you will keep watching it in your head,” Nedeljkovich said.

He said the movie makes the audience want to discuss and resolve the questions that the director does not answer.

“We chose this movie because it won so many awards and because it shows the culture of my country,” said Afrooz Ansaripour, the president of the Iranian Student Association.

Ansaripour said the Iranian Student Association decided to host the event for those interested in foreign films and learning more about Iranian culture.

“The film shows so much of our culture through dealing with the judicial system and courts to relations within the family,” Ansaripour said.

Arun Krishnasamy, an engineering masters student from India, attended the event because he is interested in Iranian culture.

“The movie had a good narration of a family from Iran going through the real problems of the society,” Krishnasamy said. “I gained a new insight about a religiously bound conservative society and its people and their perspective towards life.”

Nedeljkovich said the director, Asghar Farhadi, used tools and techniques to add to the thematic elements of the dramatic movie.

“The director used a hand-held camera the entire movie,” Nedeljkovich said. “The hand-held camera makes it seem more like a documentary of real life.”

She said the event was successful for those who came but she wished more people came to the event.

“We publicized all over campus,” Ansaripour said. “This was the only date that Meacham was available, but it wasn’t an ideal time because of Thanksgiving break.”