No One Knows About Persian Cats

Given that Iran’s hardline authorities vowed to stamp out all Western influences after the 1979 Islamic revolution, the local MTV studios sadly never opened. Which makes No One Knows About Persian Cats all the more interesting. Bahman Ghobadi’s fifth full-length feature unveils Tehran’s underground music scene, revealing a pulsating world of rappers, indie kids and thrash metallers forced to practice in dinghy basements and hide their NMEs from the law. Based on actual events, the story follows Ashkan and Negar, musicians on a quest to pursue their careers away from such restrictions. As they hunt down the band mates and false passports needed to escape, Tehran quickly emerges as the unexpected star, the colourful backdrop for a series of beautifully shot music videos that bind the film together.

Alex Ritman

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