MORE THAN TWO HOURS (ALI ASGARI)

As you may know, Iranian cinema is gradually making progress and almost every moment, we testify that there is a new Iranian project upcoming. Here I want to be honored to introduce you Ali Asgari and one of his perfectly-shot and worth to see short film  'More Than Two Hours' which was accepted to Cannes Short Competition along with the other International Short Film Festivals.

When I first watched this film, it made me feel something hurt in my heart deeply. I found my self as if I had an accident and hurt my leg than could not walk anymore even if I had been treated well.

It's just like vanishing in the city where you can have an opportunity to find someone who can speak your own language around you. Asgari scratches a hidden crook which has already been stereotyped  corruptional censor in Iran. Moreover, this nook makes so pain as he digs.

The story about a couple who copulates before their marriage. When the female partner has never ending bleeding and weakness under the same reason,they start to face so many problems in the local hospitals whereever they drive up in the night. Trying to communicate with the nurses for the help makes no sense in this way because every time they try to explain the situation , they are told that this is an illegal act and there is nothing to be done but calling police unless those two bring their identities od marriage certificate of them so this issue makes them  getting ruin hour by hour till that do them apart. Deficiencies in the social perspective against such copulation, individuals under affect of this form a centripetal force of the main story.

More Than Two Hours is a kind of fascinated film I have seen ever this year. Both story telling and the athmosphere of the darkness of the suffering  characters are stunning. In Turkey, we had an opportunity to watch it in Istanbul International Short Film Festival and got very good compliments there.

We had an interview with Ali Asgari and talked about his way of cinema,

Please tell me when and how did you make your own decision to start movie making?

I can not tell exactly when but maybe from when i was 17 or 18. during that time there was a TV program in Iran called Cinema 4 which used to show every friday and in this program they showed films by great filmmakers and after the screening there was a complete critic for the film that was shown by some of well-known Iranian cinema critics. I really liked that program and i think after that time i decided to be a filmmaker.

How is the big story that came into your mind for creating More Than two hours?

I wrote "More than two hours"by a co-writer (Farnoosh Samadi). the story was based on a true story that had happend to one of her friends. we always talk about different stories and when she told me this real story i eally was touched i i told her i want to make it.

Making realistic cinema requires some strong Dynamics inside. What kind of Dynamics did you put into your work in this case?

Basically the story of "More than two hours" is full of dynamics and the situation the characters are in is is full of tensions what i tried to do  was to  Subtilize a bit the story for not being exaggerated.

Tell us what the movie making language of Ali Asgari’ speaking on set please?

The Alphabet of cinema is image but there are lots of filmmakers that think having just beautiful images is enoght for a film so they try to attract audiance with beautiful images but i like beside the images, attract the audiance with story and that's why i select attractive stories. but it doesnot mean not caring about images sometimes a good images is much more better that lots of words for instance in "More than two hours"there is a scene after they escape from the hospital. the girl and boy are outside. the boy is looking at the city and the girl is sitting with her IV on his hand. there are no dialogues but for me that scene is the whole essence of the film.

Where is your story telling and movie making feeding from?

My story telling and movie making feeling come from the society. from the people, from what i hear and from my imagination. i mix all these together.

Can you tell me how it is like to be a director in Iran? What are the pros and cons? Is there a limit for any of movie maker to use freely his/her own language in Iran?

Film making in every part of the word is one of the most difficult job and every country has its own difficulty. most of them are financial problems. In Iran also there is financial problem but it is not the main problem. The main problem is that there are lots of people that must decide what you should make. You are not free to make what ever you want. There are lots of filters that you should pass. I am not talking just about censorship by government we have also cultural censorship. Iranian people can not tolerate lots of facts. 

What is the balance of making social and politic movies for you?

I don't make never political films. i am interested in social drama and i don't care about political side of it. Unfortunately most of the people want to condemn social films to be political but political cinema has its own characteristics. I don't advertise for any of Political parties and don't refuse any of them in my film. In fact what is important is the effect of some policies in the society 

Can you tell me what will be the next Project of Ali Asgari?

After more than two hours I made another short film which was continuating of "More than two hours"" called "The baby" which was just premiered in Venice Film festival and now I have started its festival circuit. i am now writing another short film and preparing for writing for a feature film as well.