A Media Artist's Response To Failing Diplomacy

When BriAnna Olson's pacifist views were confronted by an adamant American couple, she decided to heed their challenge and head to Tehran-- the epicenter of the Axis of Evil nation.

Amongst a landscape of failed diplomacy and media smear campaigns, she and fellow artist Michael Pope found a society far more alive and hospitable than they'd ever been led to believe.

Like jesters of a modern-day Magellan, they've returned with stories and insights to a culture few American's have seen first hand.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Iran's Culture Cops // Short Documentary

Kouross Esmaeli is a New York filmmaker who has contributed a few doc pieces to Current TV's repertoire. His 'Tomato Unrest in Iran' was my first media experience of everyday Iranians.

This one, Iran's Culture Cops, seems refreshingly transparent as he was granted unheard of access to the group on the condition that he not manipulate their words.



I bet their words and intentions, if not actions, probably resonate with a number of people- and the insight this video brings is beyond compare. Nice one, Kouross.

1 comment:

  1. I really wish the guy would've asked if they plan to spread this idealology example or exactly how. Will they accomplish such and such just as role models or what? Instead they leave things unclear by saying they will not do things under boots like American soldiers, which can imply they will not become a military prescene, but that still is vague in my opinion. Anyway I wish I could ask them something else as well! I think they must derive their basis from Quran 3:104 and 16:125. Personally I think they only need limits amongst themselves... for ex., no beatings like a guy in the video suffered! To ask about this, the interviewer could have related a hadith or two about how the Prophet PBUH corrected people bc this never involved beatings or humiliation. Though I still have a couple of questions it really was a good interiview, and a good perspective into the Basij. Had it not been I suppose I wouldnt have this curiousity now!

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