by Mina Ghahremani
1. Introduction
Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iranian cinema has actively criticized its negative impact on society. The political themes of economic state, family traditions, and freedom are successfully communicated by portrayal, notably through genre. Namely, the utilization of the ruminative documentary genre can be too realistic for a hitherto suffering population, whilst a comedic approach primarily enforces the status quo. There needs to be an equilibrium between serious, entertaining, and buoyant subject matter.
Jafar Panahi’s No Bears utilizes two contradicting genres to produce a dually captivating yet appraising narrative. The story revolves around director Panahi attempting to film a movie in Turkey remotely from a village in Iran (due to his travel and filmmaking ban by the government). The village bordering Turkey houses traditional individuals who Panahi gets into a quandary with, as the director takes a photo of two teenagers, Gozal and Solduz, who are forbidden to see each other. Whilst the villagers attempt to acquire the photograph, actors Zara and Bakhtiar seek stolen passports to evade the ten year long exile the couple has faced in Turkey.
In No Bears, Panahi intermingles drama and romance genres to critique the Islamic Republic by indirectly addressing its faults through a narrative, coalescing documentary elements with a fictional dramatic plot, and appealing to a guaranteed target audience. The drama genre is employed to depict Iranian suffering in a manner that resonates with audiences (courtesy of its popularity with Iranians), in addition to romance for further delineation of the society’s struggles, adopting a storyline which is not solely staid. Firstly, this essay will analyze the depiction of character conflicts through genre conventions. Secondly, it will address pseudo-documentary techniques elicited from a non-fictional situation capturing a fictional plot. Lastly, it will elucidate the popularity of the drama genre, gender roles, and the role of the director for Iranians after the 1979 revolution.
2. Drama and Romance Ensuing a Realistic Narrative
David Bordwell declares that the popular drama genre follows a dramatic construction fixating on an individual hero overcoming obstacles to achieve a goal (Grant, 15). In No Bears, this hero is the director, Jafar Panahi, striving to create another film despite the firm ban. Genre movies integrate social tensions and discourse, casting them into formulaic narratives and transforming such into dramatic conflicts between characters and society (Grant, 16). This film’s first conflict is Panahi against the government, who resides at the Turkish border to be near the shoot despite the inflexible restriction of the director producing films and departing Iran. Even when provided the chance to be smuggled across the border, Panahi flees the scene after learning there are numerous armed guards fixated on the director (No Bears 00:32:57). The second conflict is only actress Zahra attaining a stolen passport, refusing to leave Turkey without Bakhtiar notwithstanding the actor’s pleas (No Bears 00:03:19). The third conflict is teenagers Gozal and Solduz endeavoring to date after the strictly Islamic village arranged Gozal to marry another. Drama films integrate a secondary arc arraigning the social order through its tribulations- a heterosexual relationship (Grant, 16). The relationship’s trials exhibit the regime’s extent of punishment and authoritative theocracy- as the republic banishes citizens and necessitates adherence to religious traditions (Banakar, 17).
The characters in drama genres can be flat- curving off of the round- and round- psychologically complex (Grant, 17). A round character is the director, remaining in Iran whilst lacking a future, job, and freedom, surviving only through disobeying government orders (No Bears 01:08:21). Zahra’s monologue establishes the actress as a round character, expressing disdain with the facade that Bakhtiar acquired a passport despite being jailed in Iran for being true to the self. In reality, the actors cannot depart together, which Zahra rejects as living apart is impossible (namely, Bakhtiar is unable to use insulin without the actress). Zahra dissents the hopeful message the film is pursuing, as it is false (No Bears 01:21:09). Bakhtiar is additionally round, divulging Zahra’s deteriorating mental state due to trauma from Iranian prison- and that lying to Zahra about obtaining a passport was more painful than said trauma for the actress, as the regime spreads falsifications so extensively that Bakhtiar participating made Zahra forfeit hope for humanity (No Bears 01:32:36). Both characters develop courtesy of exile and jail sentences from Iran, and the suicidal fate of Zahra followed by Bakhtiar standing over the actress’ body parallels the thousands of young Iranians who commit suicide due to psychological pain- notably from abuse in prisons following protests- and the families that grieve the youth (Ahmadboukani, 2). The flat characters are the teenagers, as the story develops around Solduz’s return to the village after being kicked out of Tehran University for protesting, and Gozal pursuing the boy’s love regardless of arranged marriage. Panahi photographs the couple, becoming subject to interrogation from the villagers for evidence of the romance. The sheriff urges Panahi to return the image as commotion could draw guards, jeopardizing the village smuggling business- showcasing economic struggle (No Bears 00:50:05). The villagers urge the director to uphold tradition and make Panahi swear on an oath that there is no image, where the director admits disapproval towards the village ways- causing outrage (No Bears 01:16:40). Furthermore, the theme of lying reappears when the sheriff states there is a bear to direct Panahi into another direction, then later claiming there are no bears to direct Panahi that same way (No Bears 01:10:11). The bear symbolizes censorship- the theocracy used by the regime to manipulate its population. Finally, the man renting a house to Panahi is repeatedly questioned by authorities upon the director’s arrival, forcing Panahi to flee (No Bears 01:39:41). The exile from protests, economic strain, compulsion of Islamic tradition, dishonesty, and relentless pursuit of political prisoners are government faults embodied by the village to parody the regime.
3. Pseudo-documentary Techniques for Reality in Conventional Genres
In drama and romance genres, the problem that brings disequilibrium is resolved for narrative closure (Grant, 16). Encompassing pseudo-documentary style hinders this expectation, as there is no closure in the reality of Iran. As Zahra states, the film is a supposed documentary based on the actors’ real lives (No Bears 1:21:15). Camera techniques establish this approach as the actors address the camera to discuss with Panahi, and the camera captures the crew’s perspective as they analyze the events before them. Namely, Bakhtiar’s drunken breakdown over Zahra is captured in a documentary sense (being found by the crew crying alone at a bar), as the actor even demands the crew to turn the camera off (No Bears 01:30:36).
This style is further portrayed through sound, specifically Zahra singing Bordi Az Yadam by Viguen- meaning “you forgot me”. The song is an individual expressing pain over a lover forgetting and mocking the singer, forever yearning for the lover yet being content with the memories. Zahra showcases the pain of being inevitably forgotten by Bakhtiar resulting from leaving Turkey alone. The song also foreshadows Zahra’s death, as Bakhtiar later betrays the actress’ trust, mocking Zahra with lies, cursed to look for the now deceased actress forever (No Bears 00:55:54). Additionally, singing is a form of political protest amongst Iranian women since its strict ban following the 1979 revolution (Siamdoust, 578). Thus, the lyrics re-establish themes of exile and dishonesty through romance, as well as the song being a solidified means of political protest, all captured in a single, static shot to highlight a documentary stylistic portrayal.
This style further accentuates the importance of mise-en-scène as the lengthy static shots allow viewers to shift focus on multiple subjects, such as the instruments in the singing scene- the tar and daf. Moreover, there is a group of men and unveiled women seated together outside whilst singing and drinking alcohol (No Bears 00:56:11). Once again, the theme of tradition is apparent with renowned Persian instruments and customs habitual before the Islamic revolution (which serves jail sentences for such behaviours). Another dramatic scene is Bakhtiar identifying Zahra’s dead body. Before the crew realizes it is Zahra and shuts the camera off, there is an ambulance with a crescent moon- symbolising Islam. This presentness represents Zahra’s trauma, and that up until death, the actors cannot escape the effects of religious abuse from Iran (No Bears 01:38:43). Lastly, there is the recurrence of cigarettes, particularly with the director during stress or work. Being the only legal substance in Iran, cigarettes symbolize the restricted liberty of society, and the director’s abuse of them represents Panahi’s desire to lead a mundane life within the constraints of the government. The irony of breaking the film ban yet following substance laws demonstrates Panahi’s caution of not drawing suspicion to avoid jeopardizing the film’s production. Documentary techniques capturing drama and romance conventions provide a truth that evinces the unfortunate reality of Iran’s social order.
4. Post-Revolution Iranian Cinema On Genre, Auteurism, and Gender Roles
There are two categories of Iranian cinema; populist cinema- stating post-revolutionary values as the level of plot, theme, mise-en-scène, characterization, portrayal of women, relationships- and quality cinema- engaging these values and critiquing social conditions under the government (Naficy, 549). No Bears is quality cinema, emphasizing settings, characters, and themes of romance in Iranian lives ultimately ending in tragedy blamed on the Islamic Republic.
Following the 1979 revolution, filmmakers were deemed immoral and dangerous, subsequently being banned from filmmaking, imprisoned, or exiled (Naficy, 549). Accordingly, directors relied heavily on political intent specifically through genres (the implications of government blame for societal problems) to evade the censorship of films commencing in 1983 (Haas, 10). This political intent showcasing Panahi’s ideologies (rather than overt political discussion) is shown through the village representing Iran’s legal system (namely religious trials), relationships suffering under or after effects of the regime, the secrecy in making a film due to imprisonment, and the border- being tempted to leave for freedom whilst fearing government repercussions as Gozal and Solduz faced through death (No Bears 01:43:52).
Genre theorists argue that repetitive genres signify the ongoing struggle of a society (Grant, 16). Iran’s current sociopolitical needs result in a domination of action, adventure, war, and family drama genres that “embody varying themes” to portray societal tensions. These genres are thus utilized to avoid censorship while appealing to a population expectant of such films (Naficy, 550). This elucidates Panahi’s collection of primarily drama works displaying family conflict such as rival families arranging marriages of children to reconcile (No Bears 00:42:53). The real element of drama in this fiction narrative is Panahi secretly filming during a government mandated filmmaking ban as the director is doing so in reality. The public henceforth anticipates a surprise film released amidst Panahi’s well-known ban. The idea that the director is the single most significant contributor to a film’s artistic impact (auteurism) consolidating with predominant use of the drama genre by Panahi, as well as the uncommon use of romance in the director’s films attracts a commercially reliable yet newly interested audience.
A considerable detail is the film’s release- thirteen days before the death of Mahsa Amini by morality police for improper hijab, sparking the worldwide Women, Life, Freedom movement (Choi, 671). In Iranian cinema, women have to be veiled, and female presences were once ignored but increase as this social crisis resurfaces (Naficy, 550). No Bears portrays female prejudice through Zahra, who expresses fighting the regime to have free expression, plus the trauma women face after imprisonment. Zahra is unveiled and vocal, adding to the political intent of liberty that the drama genre is striving to convey (No Bears 01:22:50). The gender configuration due to women present with men often allows the romance genre to be effective in delivering political messages as such a dynamic is censored in Iranian cinema, therefore its existence itself is a protest against government regulations (as seen through the forbidden love of teenagers and fleeing of an unmarried couple). A certain audience is achieved through Panahi’s fame pertaining to genre and censorship, plus the ongoing women-centered movements. Adhering to and rebelling against Iranian cinema categorizations through drama and romance genres enables this film’s critique of the regime.
5. Conclusion
The application of the drama genre intermingled with the romance genre utilizes the genre’s conventions of conflict, heterosexual romance, plus flat and round characters, documentary filming techniques to evoke a sense of reality to a fictional yet true narrative, as well as the customs of Iranian cinema concerning genre, auteurism, and gender roles to lambaste Iran’s social order courtesy of its regime. Panahi’s trouble with the villagers, along with the two couples ending in tragedy (Solduz and Gozal also being shot dead attempting to cross the border) symbolize the government’s enforcement of tradition and intolerance for modern unmarried couples. The video-diary-like filming of character breakdowns showcased the effects of the regime’s torment, additionally subjects representing Persian rituals lost to the regime, symbols showcasing religious trauma, and the abuse of cigarettes being the sole legal substances are elements highlighted by the genres fortifying such critiques. Finally, the utilization of political intent to avoid expurgation, these genres renowned for a highly anticipated director, and female expression during a women-led movement delineated the strength of such genres portraying Iran’s social order through Iranian cinema. No Bears is a timely, saddening yet accurate depiction of life in Iran, a portrayal successful through the employment of genre.
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