By Zubeyir Arslan
Courtesy of: Ozgur Politika
20 May 2000

“Ozgur Politika” spoke with Bahman Ghobadi at the MK2 Diffusion Film Center in Cannes.

Director Bahman Ghobadi, from Eastern (Iranian) Kurdistan, who entered this year’s Cannes Film Festival with his first full-length film, “A Time For Drunken Horses,” has attracted great interest from the French press.

Bahman Ghobadi was born in 1969 in the city of Bane, in Eastern Kurdistan. After working in a radio station during his years as a student, Ghobadi began making short films with a group of friends. Later moving to Tehran because of his passion for the cinema, he enrolled in the Cinema Faculty of Tehran University. The artist made over ten short films during the period 1995-99, of which nine won prizes at various Iranian and international film festivals. Becoming interested in the fact that Abbas Kiarostami, one of Iran’s most renowned directors, was shooting a film in Kurdistan, Ghobadi asked to assist him, won his favor, and then worked as his first assistant in the film “The Wind Will Carry Us Away”. Later, while Ghobadi was filming “A Time For Drunken Horses,” he became acquainted with the Makhmalbaf family, which had come to Kurdistan to film “Takht-e Siyah” (“The Blackboard”). He then, at the suggestion of Mohsen Makhmalbaf, played the role of the teacher in that film.

If someone should want to become familiar with Bahman Ghobadi, how would you describe yourself?

I was born in the city of Bane in the Iranian part of Kurdistan. I’ve been involved with film for about ten years now. It was my interest in photography that brought me to the cinema, and it was in fact the topography of Kurdistan that attracted me. I started to study cinema at Tehran University, and made a number of 8 mm films. I made over ten short films.

How did “A Time For Drunken Horses” come about?

My greatest dream was to make a full-length film in Kurdistan, in the
Kurdish language. On a trip to Kurdistan for this purpose some three years ago, I met Ayoub Ahmadi. What Ayoub told me corresponded with my own ideas completely. He plays a role in the film, and helped me a great deal.

As the first Kurdish film-maker in Iran, have you encountered any difficulties?
On the contrary, everyone was very supportive. We had to wait until winter to complete the filming in this film, which we began with an Iranian producer. He was very helpful to me throughout the entire time. And I can’t begin to tell convey to you the degree of interest and help we got in the Kurdish villagers where we were filming. Everything was unbelievable.

How was it that you worked with two of Iran’s most famous directors? How did you meet them?

As I mentioned earlier, one of my most cherished dreams was always to make a film about the Kurds and Kurdistan. To date, no important film has been made about the Kurds. The ones made have all impressed me as being “light”, or banal. I’m greatly attached to my country and my culture. My goal was to attract great producers to Kurdistan, and to make films about Kurdistan and the Kurds. Because there was really a need for this. This is why I worked as first assistant to Abbas Kiarostami. The film that we made introduced Kurdistan to people at international festivals. And again, that the Makhmalbaf family is making films in Kurdistan, about the Kurds, is very encouraging. I had a great responsibility to help people making films in my country. And so, at the suggestion of Mohsen Makhmalbaf, I played the role of the teacher in that film.

Had you had any acting experience before that?

No, none. I’m not an actor. When I was filming “A Time For Drunken Horses,” they said they were looking for actors for “Takht-e Siyah” and asked me to help. So I stopped filming for a while and played that role. The only real reason for this was my passion for my country. I’m ready to help anyone who creates something for Kurdistan. “Takht-e Siyah” portrayed my country and my people. It made me proud that the film spoke of Kurdistan. And now both these films have brought Kurdistan to Cannes. That’s the important thing.

If just any producer wanted to make a film in Eastern Kurdistan, are the conditions suitable for this?

If anyone wants to make a film in the Iranian part of Kurdistan about Kurdistan and the Kurds, whether they be Iranian or foreign, all of us, and especially my family and I, will be ready to help them. As long as the theme is Kurdistan.

What is your next project?

Let me say again, I’m in love with Kurdish culture. I have work underway in both the Iranian and the Iraqi parts of Kurdistan on this theme. When I return, I’ll get back to work on these projects.

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