‘Sick’ Critics Fail To Shortlist Bodyguard, Spark Conspiracy Theory
The absence of a renowned Iranian filmmaker in the 34th edition of the Fajr Film Festival’s shortlists for the best film or best director has brought the administration under fire for intolerance.
“Bodyguard”, Ebrahim Hatamikia’s latest feature, is the story of a middle-aged man who mostly protects high-ranking political figures. However, he gets into trouble when a suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest approaches a vice president.
The film was nominated for best leading actor, cinematography, soundtrack, sound, make-up, and special effects. However, conservative media are advocating a conspiracy theory in which Hatamikia has been a victim of the Rouhani administration’s lack of tolerance.
“While the jury had reached a consensus regarding the nomination of Hatamikia’s “Bodyguard” in the best film and best director categories, the director and the film were abruptly removed from the shortlists despite the festival secretary’s efforts for reasons still unknown,” wrote Serat News.
“The themes sets [revolutionary] idealism against a criticism of today’s authorities which certainly does not appeal to some,” wrote Hamshahri Online, a website affiliated with Tehran mayor, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
Even some reformists are advocating Hatamikia’s right to have been, at least, shortlisted. “It seems that the governmental Fajr Festival is still upset with Hatamikia’s criticism last year and has allowed this to intervene in the festival’s outcome; an unprofessional measure, against morality, which reveals personal taste is applied in the festival’s judgments,” Entekhab wrote, calling the move a retaliation. In a post on his Instagram page, prominent reformist figure Mohammad Ali Abtahi also praised Hatamikia for his bravery. Saeed Leilaz, an economist close to the reformist camp, hailed the subject matter of “Bodyguard” as he wrote he agreed with the filmmaker in that ‘we are standing far from our ideals’.
Ebrahim Hatamikia, the director of the political drama “Bodyguard”, has urged the Iranian government to support filmmakers who are trying to mirror the widespread threat of ISIS, Tehran Times reported on February 7. Hatamikia made the remarks at Milad Tower on Saturday at a press conference after a screening of his latest film “Bodyguard” during the 34th Fajr Film Festival.
Pointing to the X-ray security scanner installed at the entrance to the tower’s complex, he called on Iranian filmmakers to observe the matter as a warning sign. The festival should provide more opportunity for filmmakers willing to highlight efforts by Iranian troops and security forces, which are constantly patrolling along the extensive Iran-Iraq borderlines. “Unfortunately, we hear that works made about the issue have not entered the festival. 90 percent of the films do not see the threat and neglecting the combatant fellows is a great oppression,” he said while he directly addressed President Rouhani in his criticism for the supposed elimination of such films from the festival. “Why do these films not enter the competition, even if they are weak. This is the issue of our times, anyway. What shall we do now that like the [Iran-Iraq] war, the authorities are looking northward while battles are being fought in the south? Threat is looming behind our borders but they do not see it,” he added.
Hatamikia declined to appear in the closing ceremony of the festival, during which Parviz Parastouei won the ‘Crystal Phoenix’ for best leading actor. He dedicated the award to the creator of Zabihi (the ‘bodyguard’), Ebrahim Hatamikia. Other cineastes also praised the director of “Bodyguard” and expressed pity over his absence. “The likes of Hatamikia are not born every day and it is a pity he is not here,’ said Mohammad Hossein Mahdavian, the director of ‘Standing in Dust’. Hadi Eslami, the visual effects director of “Bodyguard”, also won a Phoenix and dedicated it to Hatamikia.
On the flipside of the story, Iranian film critic Amir Ghaderi has labeled “Bodyguard” as a ‘menial hack’ for its director’s fantasized dichotomy of the establishment versus people. “Hatamikia’s work, which is anti-public and of course anti-national security, is formed based on a binary he has made of a class called the government against its people. It is as though the protagonist of the film is protecting the establishment fantasized by Hatamikia against the people in the country. The hired protagonist is constantly nagging,” he wrote in an article published on Café Cinema.
Hatamikia is known to steer controversy every year when he joins reporters on the sidelines of the festival. Last week, he called most of his critics ‘sick’ and said the red carpet is ‘haram’ (forbidden) to him.