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ARCHIVE

4th(2002)



The Hidden Half / Nimeh-ye-Penhan

Tahmineh Milani

  • Iran
  • 2001
  • 108min
  • 35mm
  • color

SYNOPSIS

The Hidden half is a film about a woman¡¯s reflection on her memories and experiences of the war in 1979, just after the Iranian revolution of the 1970s. Fereshteh was a university student who once supported communist activism during the turbulent years. She has lived as the wife of a senior judge, Khosro, and mother of their two children, hiding her past as a communist supporter in the present Islamic Iran. Khosro is commissioned to investigate the case of a female political prisoner held on death row in Shiraz. Although the woman claims to be innocent, no one will hear her appeal. His wife gives him a long letter and diary for him to read on his trip, detailing her past as a political activist in the hope that he will come to a greater understanding of the complicated politics of Iran today, and thus help the woman¡¯s case.
 The film proceeds as a long flashback as he reads Fereshteh¡¯s diary. He learns about her past passions and ideals and finally understands her. Facing the political prisoner, Khosro opens his mind, listens to her carefully and tries to understand her with his whole heart. This film was released in Iran, but shut down after a month, and only passed the censors 7 years later. Milani made this film to help people remember what happened in the early days of the revolution. Milani was imprisoned for a while for her stance against Islamic ideology and law in The Hidden Half. (Kim Sun-ah)
 

PROGRAM NOTE

The Hidden half is a film about a woman¡¯s reflection on her memories and experiences of the war in 1979, just after the Iranian revolution of the 1970s. Fereshteh was a university student who once supported communist activism during the turbulent years. She has lived as the wife of a senior judge, Khosro, and mother of their two children, hiding her past as a communist supporter in the present Islamic Iran. Khosro is commissioned to investigate the case of a female political prisoner held on death row in Shiraz. Although the woman claims to be innocent, no one will hear her appeal. His wife gives him a long letter and diary for him to read on his trip, detailing her past as a political activist in the hope that he will come to a greater understanding of the complicated politics of Iran today, and thus help the woman¡¯s case.
 The film proceeds as a long flashback as he reads Fereshteh¡¯s diary. He learns about her past passions and ideals and finally understands her. Facing the political prisoner, Khosro opens his mind, listens to her carefully and tries to understand her with his whole heart. This film was released in Iran, but shut down after a month, and only passed the censors 7 years later. Milani made this film to help people remember what happened in the early days of the revolution. Milani was imprisoned for a while for her stance against Islamic ideology and law in The Hidden Half. (Kim Sun-ah)
 

Director

  • Tahmineh MilaniTahmineh Milani

    Born in Tabriz in 1960, Tahmineh Milani is one of the most successful Iranian woman filmmakers on the international scene. She graduated in architecture in 1986. Her films have been shown in major festivals around the world and have received many major awards. She has been member of the jury at the following Film Festivals: Chicago international F.F 2003, Kartaj-tunis F.F 2004, Karala F.F 2005, As head of the jury at black night F.F 2004

Credit

  • ProducerTahmineh Milani, Mohammad Nikbin
  • Cast Niki Karimi, Mohammad Nikbin, Atila Pesiani, Soghr
  • Screenwriter Tahmineh Milani
  • Cinematography Mahmoud Kalari
  • Editor Bahram Dehghani
  • Music Amir Moeeni
  • Sound Parviz Abnar, Masoud Behnam