The Art of Fiqh: The Political and Historical Development of Iranian Cinema

Abstract

This paper focuses on the effects that the Iranian Revolution of 1978 and the subsequent establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran had on the Iranian film industry. This study is not only concerned with the changes in the production process of films made both before and after the revolution, but also examines the content and subjects of Iranian films, positing that after the revolution, a unique style of film emerged among Iranian art filmmakers. Through the study of the restrictions and guidelines put on filmmakers under the Shah’s regime and under the Islamic Republic of Iran, this paper concludes that filmmakers worked around the state’s guidelines to portray honest stories of Iranian life in the negative space on screen.