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EMPIRE OF EVIL

By Mohammad FAROKHMANESH

BRAVE NEW WORK FILM PRODUCTIONS - as PROD

Documentary - Completed 2008

A split life. A life between must and want. And a view behind prejudices. The feature length documentary EMPIRE OF EVIL describes the situation in a present day Islamic society.

- Year of production
- 2008
- Genres
- Documentary
- Countries
- GERMANY
- Languages
- FARSI
- Budget
- 0.3 - 0.6 M$
- Duration
- 90 mn
- Director(s)
- Mohammad FAROKHMANESH
- Producer(s)
- Mohammad FAROKHMANESH (brave new work film productions), Frank GEIGER (brave new work film productions), Armin HOFMANN (brave new work film productions)
- Synopsis
- A split life. A life between must and want. And a view behind prejudices. The German-Iranian director Mohammad Farokhmanesh portrays two women, two men, and a young girl and records how they face the challenges of everyday life in their own way.
  Young MAHTAB dreams of a career as a singer. But as a woman, it is not easy for her to succeed in the music business. To be able to make her greatest wish come true, she has to assert herself in the struggle against the Iranian law, which prohibits female singers to perform in public as soloists. The impassionate fencer SETAYESH is facing similar difficulties. Though being very successful in her discipline, female sports receive no sponsorship in Iran. Moreover, she is often being hindered to take part in international competitions, due to the effective Islamic dress code. For this reason Setayesh is dreaming of emigrating to the US, together with her husband Mehdi, a professional athlete like her, to start a new life there.
  A sharp contrast to these pugnacious women is represented by the two male protagonists of the film: ABBAS is a member of the notorious Basiji, the pro-Islamic militia of Iran. MR. MEIDANI is not only the leader of a private language school, but also sees his mission in bringing the teachings of Islam closer to the believers as a clergyman. Both already clearly decided on which side of the system they want to place themselves.
  In the meantime, in a very sheltered parents’ house, the little GOLSA is growing up into her Islamically influenced surroundings only by and by, and is gently being familiarized with the customs and conventions of her country. About topics as religion, politics and women’s rights, she does not have to worry for the time being. How the country will look like when she has finally grown up remains to be seen.