The 3 M's....

This is in Tehran. at a restaurant that is made into a small valley in the mountains. Myself, Melissa and Mina. We had kabobs....

Main Street Boroujerd, Iran

It's very beautiful here and green! The Aria Animation Studios brothers took us on a tour of the city.

Lunch time...

The Iran gang with the Aria Animation Studios guys at my last kebob meal...and the front door view from their animation studio. They had every square inch of space used there, with a motion capture stage, sound, editing, everything to do animation from A to Z.

Death by Kebobs....

Kabob Chef, Boroujerd, Iran

The food was seriously delicious...but I had eaten kabobs for 3 days now....NO more! lol.

Back in Tehran...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boroujerd, Iran

 

 

 

We spent a day in Boroujerd visiting with Aria Animation Studios. They are considered to be the best animation group in Iran, and are owned by 4 brothers. They do some incredible (and amazingly well priced) work and are a great bunch of guys. We left on Monday on the drive to Boroujerd and had the driver from hell...it took seven hours to get there! After a restful night, we spent Tuesday checking out their work and getting a tour of Boroujerd. The brothers brought us some parting gifts, mine was a handmade wool purse from the local artisans (I love these types of things) and a silver colored hand made metal plate which is also the speciality of the area, with my name engraved on it. They are a great bunch and hopefully we can put some projects together with them.

Boroujerd looks like that area of So Cal when you leave Bakersfield on the 5 North, around Los Banos. Lots of hills and farms. A great typical Iranian lunch...the running joke is that I have eaten kabobs for 3 days...anymore kabobs and it will be "death by kabobs." The food is delicious...it is just I don't really eat much meat...MAYBE once a month and now it's constantly. Definitely diet time when I get home....

We were running around Tehran before we left for Boroujerd, it's been rather warm in the 90's and unlike the UAE, not everywhere you go is air conditioned...still not used to that part. Interesting observations, the Iranians mix more than do the Gulf Arabs, at night you see young Iranian women sitting and chatting in groups at cafes with young men. You don't see that much in the UAE, mostly women are with women out in public. The Iranian women are very fashionable and attractive, the entire vibe is one of a major city that is on the go. The sidewalks are all full of pedestrians, and lots of street traffic. The drivers here I believe are worse than the UAE...as roads are not as defined. And these strange little motor bikes they drive...not really motorcycles, but not scooters. You see lots of young men and women riding on them together, another thing you would not see in the UAE. You also don't see a lot of new cars, unlike the UAE, where new, very expensive cars are constantly whizzing past you on the roads. I'm afraid I would not do well driving here...I am already pretty aggressive behind the wheel, but this would bring it to another level!

I have been approached 3 times by people on the street who have heard me speaking to my friends and asked "Where are you from?" No one has yet guessed I am an American, but all three were very excited to hear that I am. I don't wear the abaya here, but have it for formal meetings... when we are out, I wear a long shirt and jeans, with a scarf. Still getting used to that bit, as it tends to slip down, too much hair!

Meetings are interesting here...they go on for hours. You talk, have tea, eat something, then go back to talking. In LA you get very conditioned to speaking, getting it over with and then leave. I keep finding myself thinking, "OK time to go" only to realize that I just have to relax and wait. Also people come and go into the meetings...another thing that is rather unique. It is a little different in the UAE, people are always polite and friendly as well, but I have never eaten a meal in someone's office like I have in Iran. With so many unique and trendy restaurants in the UAE, if you are going to meet over food, you do it in a restaurant. In Iran, they have the meal in their office...then we go back to discussing business. 

More things to discover!

Tehran Wanderings

I am getting the scope of things here a little better...

My hosts, Mellissa and Bahram have a very cool place that the govt. is supporting for them, rather like an "artist in residence" type setup. One flat is where they live, and the other is setup like a small workspace studio/guest house, where I and their other guest, Scott, are staying. Scott is another American, he is writing the screenplay for a film they are shooting in Iran the first of next year and he will be directing it as well.

Yesterday I met with Mr. Montazmi from the film Ministry. He and his office are the sponsors for my trip here. The place itself was interesting, it was built under the Shah's regime, with a beautiful garden in the center...but it was like stepping back in time. The city reminds me a lot of Paris or New York in the outer environs, that type of low rise "city environs" that is mostly built of bricks. LOTS of traffic and you have to dodge traffic crossing the roads, as there are really no designated crossings. Thankfully Bahram did this for me and I just followed him! We walked all over the place, as well as took a bus and a taxi, a great way to see the city. There was a district, which under the Shah, was the nightclub district...now it is lined with lighting shops. 

We went to a Persian restaurant that is built into the side of a mountain for dinner, it had actually rained a little bit before we got there. There is a trail going up the mountain, with a natural creek. All the restaurants and shops are built into the mountain and with the trees and the sound of the creek, it was magical...and the food was really good! Bahram volunteered to go up the trail with me, he is a filmmaker and poet, and he is Sufi. He is the first Sufi I have met and he was kind enough to explain in detail what Sufism is and how his life is governed by Sufism philosophy.

I will be meeting with some women filmmakers this week and will discuss with them the idea of having a Women in Film and Television Chapter in Iran. I think bring lectures and opportunities here would be a plus and a great cultural/information exchange. Our WIFT, UAE Chapter has been successful in its first year and we will soon be coming back online after our Summer break.

Tehran Arrival

Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi left on time and was great...except for the child who decided to scream for 1.5 hours of a one hour and 40 minute flight! Upon my arrival at the airport, I was fingerprinted, which was no big deal, but the people who were escorting me around and doing this spoke almost no English. You get spoiled in the UAE as EVERYONE speaks English and one tends to forget that it's a foreign country But the airport crew were extremely polite, just perplexed as they kept speaking to me in Farsi and I kept answering "What?" 

Today we are out visiting film companies, and Iranian producers. This will be very informative, as the film industry here is quite advanced and has excellent quality.

Abaya and Shayla

This will be interesting, keeping the shayla (scarf) in place is a tough one with lots of curly hair! I figured in the end, this was easier, as we will be out and about a lot, and I can just throw on jeans and a T-shirt under this. The abaya does not do a lot for your figure however...next stop...Tehran!

Packing...

With a little help from my friend! Laptop and all the camera, phone charges etc. in carry on bag. So what did we do before laptops and all the nonsense we end up taking along on trips? Probably spoke to each other more.

I have the Visa...and the ticket!

Leaving Sat at 2 on Etihad from Abu Dhabi. NOW I'm starting to get excited!

The Visa Saga...Next Chapter

Well last week I went AGAIN to the Iranian Consulate in Dubai and this time (my third trip) they took my passport and said to come and collect my visa on Tues. Now I will need to see if the Consulate is open on Tues, as it's Eid Holiday.

Not to worry, as I will be leaving right after I get the visa....I hope!