Venice Film Festival Showcases Two Films Set Against Iran War

The Venice Film Festival will showcase two films focusing on the impact of the war in Iran, giving audiences a glimpse into the struggles faced by citizens during the ongoing conflict. "Both films explore the feeling of being trapped and the lack of options when confined within a system with no escape," said Odessa Rae, producer of "Falling House" and executive producer of "A Bit of Light," according to Variety.

Iranian writer, director, and producer Ali Asgari presents "A Bit of Light," depicting a doctor who loses faith in the future after being arrested by Iranian authorities, resulting in the closure of his medical practice in Tehran. The film underscores the consequences of political pressure and the day-to-day realities under the influence of the Iranian system. In a pivotal scene, a character mentions, "This Trump guy is threatening to bomb here every day."

Another film, "Falling House," directed by Mohsen Gharaei, follows a simple family on the outskirts of Tehran whose home is destroyed as part of a reconstruction program. Rae describes these Iranian films as the final burst of creativity before the country was engulfed in war. To secure permission to shoot "Falling House" in Tehran, main producer Milad Khosravi, an Iranian who now runs the production company Seven Springs Pictures in Istanbul, had to alter the script given to the government.

After filming for about 70 days, the team successfully extracted footage from Iran just before the war commenced, subsequently completing post-production and some scenes in Germany. The U.S. attack on Iran in February forced "A Bit of Light" producers, including Khosravi, to relocate the film's physical production to the United States. Khosravi expressed their complex situation during filming in both Tehran and Istanbul.

Producers hope that these two films' participation in the Venice Film Festival will shed light on the reality of what is occurring in Iran. Currently, the filmmakers are residing in exile outside Iran and are advocating for the premiere of their films in Venice. Due to the country's travel ban, they now doubt whether the films can be promoted in the United States.

Both Rae and Khosravi emphasized that no major films like "Falling House" will be released from Iran due to the strict crackdown. However, Khosravi aims to bring similar stories abroad to preserve the country's film industry.