About
“The first time I went to Iran in 2007, I was more than surprised at how ‘normal’ of a place it really was despite certain pre-conceived notions I had. The crowded city squares, the bustling streets, and the substantial social activity were all images of Tehran that were utterly astonishing to an Iranian-American like myself. After a few weeks of exploring the streets and commingling with the people, I not only learned the full extent of my ignorance, but I realized I was one of many people in the west who didn’t have an accurate image as to what today’s Iran really is. It was this realization that led me to write, direct, and produce my debut documentary film “Tehran: Another Side”. As of 2011, the film has been screened in film festivals and TV stations in the USA, The Netherlands, Iran, and several other countries.
While in Iran, I also discovered the currently booming underground culture, in particular the underground hip-hop movement, taking place among the Iranian youth. After producing a short-documentary on the origin of hip-hop music in Iran entitled “The Current State of Persian Hip-Hop”, I released “BAHRAM An Iranian Rapper”, a pseudo-intimate look into the life of a prominent hip-hop artist in Iran confronted by a system that explicitly outlaws ‘western music’.
Though I realize that Iran has its share of problems and internal issues, it’s a country not very different from the United States or nations in Europe. Perhaps the governments don’t see eye to eye with one another, but the people all want the same things that anyone else would want: health, stability, and liberty. Unfortunately, the circumstances in Iran are such that people are not able to enjoy the freedoms that people have in other countries; nevertheless, despite significant social prohibition, the Iranian people continue to move forward and show the international community how powerful of an entity they truly are through culture, unity, and courage…”
~ Sam Ali Kashani