A documentary about a filmmaker who does not make films!
Black, Green, White
Documentary / 27 min / Writer, Producer and Director
Synopsis
This a portrait documentary about well-known and innovative Iranian filmmaker and actor, the late Nosrat Karimi. Upon the 1979 revolution, Karimi was arrested for making films against revolutionary beliefs. He was put behind bars for a while before being banned from working ever again. His feature films in the 1960s and 1970s were some of the most influential films in Iranian cinema.
In the documentary ‘Black, Green, White’, we look at Nosrat Karimi’s inner vision towards life. The film goes on in two parallel abstract universes; in the real Nosrat Karimi’s inner universe and his outside universe as an actor playing as himself. The story is an intertwined poetical ping pong between his childhood and old age. Eventually, as he’s about to move to the afterlife, his old age and childhood versions become one.
Director’s Notes
He says he’s a filmmaker, but he does not make films! When he was banned from making more films, he opted for making sculptures; sculptures that were his mental actors in his universe of loneliness since childhood; sculptures that came from his own spirit and each played a role in his universe.
The last sculpture he makes in the film is his own face. And this might be his most real role: himself! Nothing is new in this world. This has always been the rule of the game. An artist repeats himself in his own work.
As an author filmmaker, Nosrat Karimi was an exception in Iranian cinema. His films were fresh and Iranian cinema could have the fortune of learning his different way of cinematic narration. But it wasn’t meant to be!
Karimi’s style of cinema had popular characteristics and his comedy had roots and grew in the traditional Iranian society. A critical satire with neo-realism cinema features in the face of most serious and complicated social situations.
From acting and make-up in theatre to acting in films, from designing and directing puppet shows and animations to sculpting and growing cactuses, and eventually a life of few and far but effective work. He was always a one-man show: Nosrat Karimi! Nothing less and nothing more.
This very feature was in my mind while writing ‘Black, Green, White’. I wanted it to be a film just like Nosrat Karimi himself.
This documentary is not a classic biography. I tried to create a collection of Nosrat Karimi’s viewpoints towards life and the universe around him.
The audience for this film is people who have known Karimi as an actor and filmmaker but haven’t yet known his thoughts and views. At the same time, the film was made for those who do not know Karimi as well, as I wanted it to become an inspiration for the smart, talented, and capable generations of today. I wanted them to experience a different look at Iranian culture and art’s past.
Finally, I should add that ‘Black, Green, White’ is a tribute to the grandmaster and his original personality. This documentary was made while Nusrat Karimi was still prohibited from filming after 25 years.
Credits
Writer & Director: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Executive Producer: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Starring: Nosrat Karimi, Saeed Mousavi, Amir Esfahani, Faraz Hadji abbasi, Katrin Tofangdar
Director of Photography: Ahmad Kavoosi
Edit: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Sound: Kamyar Namayeshi
Product by Our Darkroom Film
Technical Info
Orginal Title: Siah Sabz Sefid ( سیاه سبز سفید )
English Title: Black, Green, White
Running time: 27 minutes
Genre: Portrait Documentary
Country: Iran
Language: Farsi
Release Date: July, 2004
Screening and Film Festivals Attended
– Bukhara Nights – Night of Nosrat Karimi – June, 2011 (Iran)
– House of Cinema – Association of Iranian Cinema Documentary Makers – February, 2010 (Iran)
– 5th Image of the year – October, 2007 (Iran)
– 21st Tehran international short film festival – December, 2004 (Iran)
A documentary about a filmmaker who does not make films!
Black, Green, White
Documentary / 27 min / Writer, Producer and Director
Synopsis
This a portrait documentary about well-known and innovative Iranian filmmaker and actor, the late Nosrat Karimi. Upon the 1979 revolution, Karimi was arrested for making films against revolutionary beliefs. He was put behind bars for a while before being banned from working ever again. His feature films in the 1960s and 1970s were some of the most influential films in Iranian cinema.
In the documentary ‘Black, Green, White’, we look at Nosrat Karimi’s inner vision towards life. The film goes on in two parallel abstract universes; in the real Nosrat Karimi’s inner universe and his outside universe as an actor playing as himself. The story is an intertwined poetical ping pong between his childhood and old age. Eventually, as he’s about to move to the afterlife, his old age and childhood versions become one.
Director’s Notes
He says he’s a filmmaker, but he does not make films! When he was banned from making more films, he opted for making sculptures; sculptures that were his mental actors in his universe of loneliness since childhood; sculptures that came from his own spirit and each played a role in his universe.
The last sculpture he makes in the film is his own face. And this might be his most real role: himself! Nothing is new in this world. This has always been the rule of the game. An artist repeats himself in his own work.
As an author filmmaker, Nosrat Karimi was an exception in Iranian cinema. His films were fresh and Iranian cinema could have the fortune of learning his different way of cinematic narration. But it wasn’t meant to be!
Karimi’s style of cinema had popular characteristics and his comedy had roots and grew in the traditional Iranian society. A critical satire with neo-realism cinema features in the face of most serious and complicated social situations.
From acting and make-up in theatre to acting in films, from designing and directing puppet shows and animations to sculpting and growing cactuses, and eventually a life of few and far but effective work. He was always a one-man show: Nosrat Karimi! Nothing less and nothing more.
This very feature was in my mind while writing ‘Black, Green, White’. I wanted it to be a film just like Nosrat Karimi himself.
This documentary is not a classic biography. I tried to create a collection of Nosrat Karimi’s viewpoints towards life and the universe around him.
The audience for this film is people who have known Karimi as an actor and filmmaker but haven’t yet known his thoughts and views. At the same time, the film was made for those who do not know Karimi as well, as I wanted it to become an inspiration for the smart, talented, and capable generations of today. I wanted them to experience a different look at Iranian culture and art’s past.
Finally, I should add that ‘Black, Green, White’ is a tribute to the grandmaster and his original personality. This documentary was made while Nosrat Karimi was still prohibited from filming after 25 years.
Credits
Writer & Director: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Executive Producer: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Starring: Nosrat Karimi, Saeed Mousavi, Amir Esfahani, Faraz Hadji abbasi, Katrin Tofangdar
Director of Photography: Ahmad Kavoosi
Edit: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Sound: Kamyar Namayeshi
Product by Our Darkroom Film
Technical Info
Orginal Title: Siah Sabz Sefid ( سیاه سبز سفید )
English Title: Black, Green, White
Running time: 27 minutes
Genre: Portrait Documentary
Country: Iran
Language: Farsi
Release Date: July, 2004
Screening and Film Festivals Attended
– Bukhara Nights – Night of Nosrat Karimi – June, 2011 (Iran)
– House of Cinema – Association of Iranian Cinema Documentary Makers – February, 2010 (Iran)
– 5th Image of the year – October, 2007 (Iran)
– 21st Tehran international short film festival – December, 2004 (Iran)