Abu Dhabi: No One Knows About Persian Cats seamlessly blends two different genres, fiction and documentary, into one, making this a must-see movie of the year.
This is director Bahman Ghobadi's latest film, and just like his previous work Time For Drunken Horses, it shines a light on an issue that is left mostly in the dark in Iran.
A young woman and man, upon their release from prison, plunge straight back into the world that landed them behind bars — Tehran's underground music scene.
"I'm very happy that a lot of people want to watch this film. It shows a different face of Iran than what people usually see. Before, it was difficult to do such a film but now there are a lot of young people who were willing to let me film this story. This movie isn't from me, it's from them," Ghobadi said.
The film reveals the extraordinary lengths that people would go to, to keep their passions alive, even if it means hiding it for the time being from the rest of the world.
The two main characters set about trying to escape their stifling society by fleeing to Europe. However, they face many obstacles, ranging from acquiring the necessary papers to travel, to creating a band to perform together at a music festival, both in Iran and in Europe.
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"This film shows only a small part of the entire underground scene that exists in Iran. Ninety five per cent of the music industry is underground, so even though they are active and have bands, they cannot showcase their work," the director explained.
"I really hope that next year, another director would be able to do a proper film about this unique part of our society," he added.
