After the 1978 Islamic Revolution, Iran has been a country which implements Islamic laws and rulings (syariah). Their current leader, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is also known as a very devout Muslim. That’s why the self-proclaimed world leader, the USA has no problem naming them as one of the three countries of the so-called ‘Axis of Evil’. Yet this does not stop them from carving a name in the movie industry.
The Iranian involvement in the movie-making business has always been successful: internationally-recognized, winning prestigious awards and critically-acclaimed. Their top movie-maker is none other than Majid Majidi who directed the hugely successful ‘Children of Heaven’ and ‘The Colour of Paradise’. In the article printed in Utusan Melayu dated 12th of December 2007, ‘Perbanyakkan filem berunsur keIslaman’ by Abdul Aziz Itar, the 48 year-old award-winning director mentioned that he believes that movies should preserve the religious and moral values which have become the backbone and background of an Islamic country and its people. He also points out that movies and films by Muslim film-makers should be laced with Quranic verses, the words of the Prophet (s.a.w) and his companions, Muslim ulama’ and also poems reflecting God and Islam.
Following the laws set by syariah, the movie-making business in Iran does not allow its actors or actresses to uncover their aurah on screen. No touching between non-mahram people is allowed. The contents of those movies are always related to Islam. This is to say that there are a lot of restrictions for directors, actors and everybody involved in the business. Yet, what is amazing is that despite all these, it still manages to do extremely well.
My big question is: why can’t we emulate what Iran has successfully done and proven? They go against the norms set by the Western directors - no cencorship, no restrictions - yet they fare way better than our own films which constantly (and painfully) follow everything the West does. From the contents of the movies (sexually-explicit, criticizing Islamic teachings) to obviously too-friendly on-screen relationships between men and women to (silly and quite pointless) awards ceremonies to the dresses actresses wear (the shorter and more bare-back the dress is, the more fashionable she is). Let’s not forget the complaints made by film-makers urging the public to be ‘open-minded’ in accepting unconservative ideas presented in these movies and also their claims that it is okay to not follow religious restrictions because this is the process of finding ‘rezeki’ and Allah does not stop His servants from being successful. Yet after such rebel, where do we stand now?
Iran has long noticed that there is a way to be successful in the movie-making business without throwing away the Islamic values that govern Muslims’ lives. It is high time our movie-makers realize that too.
