Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOAOxsHVTYk
For the very last film of this year, the Human Rights Film Series Committee has chosen a provocative and brilliant documentary about Iran, which takes place almost entirely within a taxi.
Taxi Teheran is the true story of Jafar Panhavi, one of the most influential film-makers in Iran, who was banned by the government from making films for 20 years in his home country. But this does not stop the Iranian director from pursuing his mission to tell stories, and so he defies censorship and camouflages himself as a taxi driver, transforming his car into a stage for crimes, confessions and a goldfish-related tragedy. By doing that, his aim is to show daily life in the capital and to reflect on the social challenges his country faces.
Among the issues emerging from the conversations of the passengers are the controversial topics of capital punishment, the relationship between Iranians and the authorities, the public and private sphere, and the influence of religion in society. The documentary is a spontaneous reflection of the multi-faceted Iranian society, and at the same time a testament to the fact that in the twenty-first century cinema is truly elsewhere.
WITH GUEST SPEAKER: Ali Samet, LLM student from Iran
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The Human Rights Film Series is a student-led Human Rights Law centre initiative open to staff and students of the University of Nottingham. It shows engaging and provocative films which bring challenging human rights issues to life. The context of each film is briefly introduced by a relevant expert followed by discussion. Screenings are organised by a student committee and are free and open to all staff and students.