Behrouz Gharibpour, the famous Iranian theatre director has made “Ordak Li” after a long pause in filmmaking. The main subject of his new film “Ordak Li” is the name of a student who had to immigrate with his parent from his hoetown to Tehran in the age of Shah, Ordak Li that his uncommon name bothered him made Hedayat School as a hell for him.
Ordak Li produced by Ali Hazrati which is screened in Eastern Vista or Asian and Islamic Countries Panorama in 36th FIFF. We had an interview with its director.
Name of Behrouz Gharibpour remind his theatre activities more than other things; like “The Miserables”, “Uncle Tom Cabin”, puppet operas and revival of Iran national opera, …while you has some activities in cinema, your main focus have always been in theatre.
In fact, when I started my artistic activity in 1972, beside of my theatrical activities I founded Kurdistan Film Association with the aim of screening classical films in summer in Sanandaj which is my hometown. In those days, I selected films, reviewed them and even worked as projectionist.
How old were you at that time?
I was 21, but my main activities were puppet theatre and puppet opera but I wasn’t far from cinema. During these years I have made number of long documentaries also short films, I wrote lots of scripts and whenever I found a subject that I couldn’t make it in theatre I immediately started to change it for cinema medium. I had no long career in cinema but I’ve been always interested in it from my youth. It seems that I had some ups and downs in cinema but I should say that I had liked it nonstop.
I also wanted to mention that you were the manager of venue of Fajr film festival two years ago and things like that show your mental relationship with cinema too.
Exactly! I never give up working and learning cinema, when I went to Italy for studying I had a program of learning and Italian cinema and language for myself; watching films and learning language! So, I went to movies sometimes three times a day! And they helped me to learn Italian language very fast, so I owed to cinema on this issue too. Cinema has been always a part of my life; in all of my operas there is a visual section which is the representative of cinema grammar.
I’ve heard that the script of Ordak Li belonged to far years?
Yes, around 25 years ago.
How did you convince yourself to make a script after years? I mean that what was the specialties of the script?
I gave the script to Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults 25 years ago but they had lotsof doubts about some national issues; for example they were worried if the story of the child remind some separation issues of Turkish people from Iran and like that. I insisted that I have no aim like that. However, after 25 years, I wanted to make this film and I couldn’t find a way for it, until I met Mr. Hazrati. He asked me why I’m not working in cinema and then I told him about Ordak Li and he liked it and he started to help me in making the film, I never will forget his supporting in making Ordak Li.
What are the film characteristics?
The script also the film which is not common one. It seems that the story of film is narrated just for a special timeline but the story is not just belonged to an age. The attitude in education system with classmates with families with teachers which can be continued until the end of the world! The film has lots of layers which can be memorable for years until some discussions like immigration, culture, education …are existence. I believe that until next 35 years, the film has words to say and will challenge audience.
What it was shot in B&W?
The closest shape of images in my mind were black and white, so I just use colors in the final when I wanted t portrait dreams and show beauties but the village Ordak Li came from has color too, because it has kindness comparing to cruel atmosphere of school and I should show the atmosphere by colors. It was interesting that me, Ali Hazrati, and Kayvan Motamedi, preferred this colors. I as the set and costume designer also used these color in my designing. In choosing location also me, the producer, the director of photography, and the produce manager took photos and changed them to B&W, so, we changed the color ones to B&W,we believed that the color will impress audience.
In fact, B&W color will make sympathy and empathy in human.
I believe that today that we see war news, color images cause that some of our emotions be killed even if we see these things in B&W, and maybe the effect of them be more. I’ve tested when I see ruins of WWII which have more influence on me than today wars. I can never forget the images of “Ascent” by Larosa Shiptoko, or “Saving Private Ryan”, I think if you don’t use color in its right place, it will lose its efficiency.
Ordak Li has the humanistic subject that emphasis on internal beauty rather than external one.
The subject of Ordak Li is vast and while it is about children but it has general atmosphere; it is about how the society give importance to external beauty rather than internal one. We have forgotten inner beauty. Last night an audience after watching film reminded me an important point. He said: after finishing his education in USA, they proposed me to change my name for getting job sooner, he told me that I’ve never changed my name because my identity has been shaped based on that name and I believe that if I did that I could experience duality in my personality. This is the offer that the principle proposed father of Ordak Li: change your name to have credit!!!
What’s your comment about the quality of this edition of FIFF?
I hope the festival has a permanent venue or a venue which has more related to a festival theme it would be better.
The subject of Ordak Li is vast and while it is about children but it has general atmosphere
Cinema has been always a part of my life
FIFF is naturally full of variety of thoughts and beauty.