A free event devoted to the culture and politics of a country of great sophistication and antiquity. Iranian food, film, music, poetry, dance – and discussion of the current situation both in Iran and for Iranians here in the UK. Part of Refugee Week – organised by the Iranian community in Bristol.
3pm: classic silent film Grass: a Nation’s Battle for Life (1925) accompanied by live Tanboor played by Saed Ahmadi, and introduced by a speaker of Bakhtiari origin. This documentary follows a branch of the Bakhtiari tribe of Iran - and is considered one of the earliest ethnographic documentary films - followed by discussion.

5pm: delicious Iranian refreshments!

5.30pm: book launch of ‘Illegal Traveller’ by Dr Shahram Khosravi - an account of his experience as a refugee. The book is introduced by Dr Christien Van den Anker (Reader at the Department of Politics, Philosophy and International Relations, UWE) .

6.45pm: documentary – ‘I was thinking about Exile’ by Kaveh Abbasian – with discussion. This short documentary is about a political exile who used to be a guerrilla commander in Kurdistan after the Iranian Revolution and also about the director of this film who is another political exile from a younger generation. It explores their views on their current situations and their struggle for a better world, with their own commentaries.
This will be followed by a Q&A session with the director.

7.30pm: delicious Iranian food!

8.15pm: Concert of poetry, music & dance –

East & West Fusion:
Ali Nourbakhsh – Daf
Saleh Zarei – Bass Guitar

Traditional Iranian:
Sahand Nassehpour – Taar
Parvin Ziaei – Vocalist
Saed Ahmadi – Tanboor
Medea Mahdavi – Dance

Plus craft displays and an exhibition of photos of the recent unrest in Iran.