Set in and around Tehran, though not clearly specified, Tehran Blues begins with a stoic, somewhat pastoral intro. We then meet filmmaker Efran as he documents an average commute. He enters his car, puts on his seatbelt, and turns the key. As the car rolls onto the city streets, he begins signing along with the radio. He sings along for a full six or seven minutes. While somewhat bizarre or confusing at first, this introduction shows us exactly what the film is about: The people of Iran and their complex and misunderstood culture portrayed through music. Tehran Blues invites us to experience Iran through everyday sights and sounds.
An array of varied and talented musicians are put on display, their songs providing the musical backdrop for breathtaking cinematography. While some writing is apparent, most of the film is simple interviews and documentary footage. This intriguing film invites us to take a glimpse into the everyday lives of the people in one of the most insulatory countries in the world.
What impressed me most with this film was its flow: The documentary focuses in and out, giving you intimate closeness with subjects and citizens before drawing away and showing us the landscape. The message it tries to get across, successfully in my view, is that Iran is much more complicated than we are led to believe in the West. Tehran Blues is a masterclass in teaching with film, freely interspersing biography with ethnography and musicology atop stunning cityscapes and countryside.
This documentary seeks to portray what many westerners see as a clash between modernity and tradition as more of a dance, an interplay. What we hear and see is the call and response of the round we call history. Tradition is not simply a weakness nor is modernity simply an enemy. The honesty and simplicity of Tehran Blues sets it apart from its peers. This superior documentary is a must-have for library shelves. Editor’s Choice.
What type of library programming could use this title?
Library programming focused on world music, the modern Middle East, and Iran would benefit greatly from the addition of Tehran Blues.
What academic subjects would this film be suitable for?
Professors of Musicology, Middle Eastern Politics, and Film should consider this documentary.
What kind of film series would this documentary fit in?
Tehran Blues would make an excellent headliner in a series about the contemporary Middle East and would be an outstanding addition to music documentary programming.