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Your Guide to Iran: A Deep Dive into the Culture
Dear Hyphenly Readers,
The few days of spring have shifted back into a frosty winter where I live and the news is as bleak as ever. US and Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran, killing the country's supreme leader on 28th February. According to Iran’s representative to the United Nations, at least 1,348 civilians have been killed as the war entered its 13th day on Thursday. The New York Times reported that most Americans oppose a war in Iran.
Just a month ago, the US launched a military operation across Venezuela and captured Maduro and his wife. At Hyphenly, our goal has always been to enrich our readers with more holistic stories that showcase the achievements and joys of immigrants. But our hearts are heavy this week, just as they were in January, when we dedicated an entire edition to the culture of Venezuela.
In the midst of war and identity politics, people forget humanity. Not only are innocent civilians caught in the crossroads of war, but their culture, art, and identity are forgotten and/or politicized. Today, we’ve made a handy guide for anyone looking to learn more about Iran.
MOVIES
Children of Heaven (1997)
When young Ali accidentally loses the only pair of shoes his little sister Zahra owns, the siblings attempt to hide the bad news from their poverty-stricken father and ill mother. They devise a scheme to share Ali's own pair of worn sneakers.
Hit the Road (2021)
A middle-aged couple and their two sons embark on a road trip across the Iranian countryside. Over the course of their journey, they bond over memories of the past, grapple with fears of the unknown and fuss over their sick dog.
BOOKS
The Immortals of Tehran by Ali Araghi
As a child living in his family's apple orchard, Ahmad Torkash-Vand treasures his great-great-great-great grandfather's every mesmerizing word. On the day of his father's death, Ahmad listens closely as the seemingly immortal elder tells him the tale of a centuries-old family curse . . . and the boy's own fated role in the story. Exploring the brutality of history while conjuring the astonishment of magical realism, The Immortals of Tehran is a novel about the incantatory power of words and the revolutionary sparks of love, family, and poetry--set against the indifferent, relentless march of time.
Then the Fish Swallowed Him by Amar Ahmadi Arian
Yunus Turabi, a bus driver in Tehran, leads an unremarkable life. A solitary man since the unexpected deaths of his father and mother years ago, he is decidedly apolitical—even during the driver’s strike and its bloody end. But everyone has their breaking point, and Yunus has reached his. Handcuffed and blindfolded, he is taken to the infamous Evin prison for political dissidents. Inside this stark, strangely ordered world, his fate becomes entwined with Hajj Saeed, his personal interrogator. As Yunus struggles to hold on to his sanity and evade Saeed’s increasingly undeniable accusations, he must eventually make an impossible choice: continue fighting or submit to the system of lies upholding Iran’s power.
MUSIC
Mohsen Namjoo
He is an Iranian singer, songwriter, and setar player who blends Persian and Western music. His style combines classical Persian music and poetry with rock, blues, and jazz, and his lyrics mix Persian poems with everyday speech.
Marjan Farsad
She is an Iranian animator, illustrator, singer, and songwriter currently based in Montreal, Canada, and Brooklyn, New York. She moved to Montreal in 2008, where she continued to develop her unique artistic style, blending music and animation.
This newsletter was curated by Suhasini Patni.
Hyphenly curates the latest news, art, and businesses from immigrants around the world. Have a tip or story we should feature? We’d love to hear from you.
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