The Impact of Modern Narrative on The Iranian New Wave Cinema

The Iranian “New Wave” filmmakers started to pay attention to social changes during the Pahlavi regime. Imperial Pahlavi successfully suppressed his political oppositions in decade of 1332-1342 (Hijri Shamsi) and spread a social reform during the following decades in 40’s to 50’s. The Iranian cinematic movement that was called New Wave by some Persian film critics because of its similarly to the new wave cinema in France as well as its simultaneous happening, criticized government’s pseudo modernism of that era.The Iranian “New Wave” filmmakers started to pay attention to social changes during the Pahlavi regime. Imperial Pahlavi successfully suppressed his political oppositions in decade of 1332-1342 (Hijri Shamsi) and spread a social reform during the following decades in 40’s to 50’s. The Iranian cinematic movement that was called New Wave by some Persian film critics because of its similarly to the new wave cinema in France as well as its simultaneous happening, criticized government’s pseudo modernism of that era. These filmmakers made films that many of them were censored or even banned by the Pahlavi regime until the victory of the Islamic revolution. The Iranian New Wave movies were strong in their screenplay and artistic form and cinematic structure; and are well known for their mise- en-scène, shooting script, montage, costume design and make up. In other words, the Iranian New Wave films not only attracted the Persian audiences but also raised the level of expectations. Besides being influenced by main international movements like new realism in Italy, and new wave movement in France and auteur theory, Iranian New Wave filmmakers were affected by world’s literature and the contemporary critical sociology of Iranian intellectuals. In fact the movement originated the Persian new literatures, more specifically the modernist writers. Most of the filmmakers were accustomed to literature in a new way and this affection lead to evolution in narrative modes in cinematic works. The movement was much affected by the auteur theory in practice. Alike French new wave, Persian filmmakers had an affinity with literature but they preferred a new adaptation with cinematic creation. Considering adaptation, most Iranian filmmakers added their own interpretation to fictions. Some of these filmmakers in fact were active in writing short novels or plays. In that era, dominant cinema in Iran well-known filmfarsi (dragotory name given to a genere if Iranian films) imitated Hollywood and Indian films. Persian popular films, as the state apparatus propagated consumerism, promoted lustful living and happy lifestyles. Superstars of these films entertained their target movie audience mainly with song and dance. Two films, The Cow (1348) and Shazdeh Ehtedjab (1353) have chosen for case studies. These films were adaptatons from Persian modern literatures and received a number of international awards. Their directors, Dariush Mehrjui and Bahman Farmanara, tried to transfer Persian modern literature using the language of cinema. We have concluded that the development and spread of the new wave movement in Iranian cinema had direct relation to the Iranian society passing from tradition to modernity.