Jafar Panahi is an Iranian filmmaker who’s work was
not only banned by the country’s government but he
was also sentenced to six years in prison and barred
from making films for twenty years. The reason? Well,
Panahi’s films, which I’ve been a big fan of, have
explored women and men struggling against an
oppressive, corrupt society. Panahi has also spoken out
against the government publicly.
In the midst of this attention while Panahi awaits the
official verdict on his case, he sits under house arrest
and documents his plight in This is Not a Film. Using a
digital camera and an IPhone, Panahi records a day in
his life. It begins rather quietly as he eats breakfast but
soon is followed by phone conversations with his
lawyer and a visit from a fellow filmmaker. The latter
picks up the camera duties and shoots Panahi
discussing the script he was going to start filming
before being arrested. Assuming that he wasn’t barred
from acting, Panahi attempts to read and create his
character’s world in his own apartment. After
becoming frustrated with this process, Panahi then
shows and discusses clips from his own films.
It is clear that this is a man who is trapped and unable
to express himself using the creative arts he has used
for most of his adult life. We really feel for him. Here’s
a man stripped of his ability to communicate. The
sadness surrounding this is alleviated a bit when his
fellow filmmaker leaves and Panahi is left using his
camera to record a conversation with a lively and very
photogenic garbage collector in his building. The
connection with this young man demonstrates how
Panahi could find anything or anyone interesting and
turn it into a fascinating piece of art.
The title of the film says it all. This is Not a Film. It is
sort of a day in the life documentary that meanders but
doesn’t really have any structure, other than the day at
hand. It demonstrates the originality and creativity of a
man forced to give up his livelihood but who can never
give up what moves his spirit. Panahi’s story is sad but
also inspiring.
I put This is Not a Film in my Top Ten of 2012. It has
just been released on DVD