Author: Massoud Schirazi

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Still from the animated film "Tehran Taboo" by German-Iranian director Ali Soozandeh (copyright: Ali Soozandeh)

Ali Soozandeh's film "Tehran Taboo"

Nothing but taboos

German-Iranian director Ali Soozandeh says that he made the film "Tehran Taboo" in order to "break the silence". In doing so, however, he has sketched a portrait of Iran that is almost unbearable, especially for the critical viewer with a knowledge of Iran, says Massoud SchiraziMore

Award-winning Iranian film director Asghar Farhadi: Watching the foundations crumble "Raving Iran" - a film documentary: Agents provocateursObituary: Iranian film director Abbas Kiarostami
Iranian female students (photo: Massoud Schirazi)

The University of Tehran

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Winds of change blowing over the campus

As president of the University of Tehran, Farhad Rahbar made many enemies with his hard-line approach. His successor, Mohammad Hossein Omid, who started work in February, is seen as the great "hope" for the nation's most famous university. By Massoud SchiraziMore

Power struggle in Iran: Rouhani's balancing actIran's New President: Can Rouhani Deliver?Iran's New President Rouhani: Hopes for Reorientation
Young people in Darband, northern Tehran (photo: Massoud Schirazi)

Iranian cinema

Shining a light on inner conflicts

"Darband" and "Sar be Mohr" are two new Iranian films that offer profound insights into the lives of young urban Iranians, highlighting their inner conflicts and the turmoil that is tearing many of them apart. Massoud Schirazi went to see both films in TeheranMore

Interview with Iranian filmmaker Reza Dormishian: The rage of an entire generation on screenThe Documentary Film ''In the Bazaar of Sexes'': Temporary Marriage in IranPhoto gallery: Iran – a great cinematic nationQantara dossier: Iranian Cinema
Shahram Nazeri (source: MEHR)

Iranian musician Shahram Nazeri

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The Persian nightingale and the flowers of hope

Shahram Nazeri is the undisputed master of setting Rumi's poetry to music. At a recent concert in Teheran, the renowned musician sang his audience into a state of ecstasy and gave voice to the Iranians' hopes for a brighter cultural future. After several barren years, the cultural scene is indeed showing tentative signs of change. By Massoud SchiraziMore

Musicians in Iran: An Uphill Struggle All the WayInterview with the Iranian Virtuoso Kayhan Kalhor: For the Love of ImprovisationIranian Tombak Virtuoso Mohammad Reza Mortazavi: Flying Fingers

In brief

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Most Recent Photo Essay

No foreign currency: Lebanon is in the midst of an economic crisis the likes of which the country has never experienced. The Lebanese pound has lost about 90 percent of its value since the end of 2019. Foreign currency is now a precious commodity. For the population, unable to access hard currency, this means a dramatic loss of purchasing power

Life in Lebanon: no electricity, no petrol

Lebanon is suffering from the worst economic crisis in its history, which has led to a dramatic shortage of supplies. Electricity and petrol are hard to come by. By Diana Hodali