Letters to the President

Petr Lom's documentary looks at how Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is seen by many of his countrymen, following him on trips around rural Iran in 2008, while also filming activity at the so-called Presidential Letter Writing Center. Ahmadinejad is apparently often viewed as a savior—to the point that his office is flooded with millions of letters, e-mails, and telephone calls from Iranians seeking his assistance on a wide variety of matters. Indeed, Iran appears to be a country needing much help—rampant inflation has made the cost of living intolerable for most, while many areas still lack electricity and running water. Ahmadinejad doesn't answer these requests directly, of course; a small army of bureaucrats and call center operators field the messages and then either hand them off to an appropriate government agency or just advise the agitated inquirers to be more patient (the Islamic theocracy cannot tolerate men discussing queries from women, or vice versa, so requests are segregated by gender). Iran is not alone among nations in having a populist hero who talks a great game but doesn't actually deliver anything, but the promises and propaganda stirring unfulfilled hope here is nevertheless disheartening, while the guarded caution of many Iranians when it comes to openly discussing the country's woes and the government's callous incompetence speaks volumes about the dangers of living under a regime in which free speech is not welcome. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)