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Iran’s Oscar win reveals Israeli movie-goers to be brainwashed bumpkins

farhadi
Iranian director Asghar Farhadi receiving the Best Foreign Film Oscar for his film A Separation.
(Photo: Joel Ryan/AP)

Last night, the Iranian film A Separation took the Best Foreign Film Oscar.  This AP article, picked up by the Washington Post, about Israeli reactions to the film reveals the sheer amount of propaganda Israelis must be subject to regarding their perception of Iran.  It’s clear they are ignorant of what Iran is actually like…those interviewed are all shocked that the country is full of cars, home appliances, and real live human beings!  

Here are the best quotes:

Yair Raveh, film critic for Israel’s leading entertainment magazine, Pnai Plus, said, “Ultimately you don’t think about nuclear bombs or dictators threatening world peace. You see them driving cars and going to movies and they look exactly like us.”

Rina Brick, 70, said, “Our image of how Iran works is less democratic than we see here. The judge, the police, everyone behaves as if they are in a Western country.”

Rivka Cohen, 78, who left Iran at age 15, was “surprised by the way people lived in their houses…Everyone had a fridge and a washing machine.”

Meanwhile, some movie-goers weren’t even as enlightened as those above.  Moshe Amirav, a political science professor at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, said he “didn’t stop thinking about the bomb the whole time” he was watching A Separation. “I said, what a contrast that we see this Iranian film with such admiration, and then when we leave we think about how they want to kill us,” Amirav said.

And that guy is a professor.  Of political science.  At a real university.

Here in the U.S., a new Zogby poll reveals that “78% [of Americans] believe Iran is actively pursuing nuclear weapons production” and that “68% say it is likely Iran would attack another nation if it produces nuclear weapons and has the ability to deliver them.”  Zogby also reports, “When asked what the US should do if it believes Iran has nuclear weapons, 37% support aerial attacks and another 7% would prefer both an invasion of Iran and aerial attacks. Increased economic and political sanctions are backed by 33%, while 10% would want no changes in current US policy toward Iran,” while “79% are concerned that attacks on Iran could lead to higher fuel prices.”

Meanwhile, here’s writer/director Asghar Farhadi’s acceptance speech after winning the “Best Foreign Film” Oscar last night: 

“At this time, many Iranians all over the world are watching us and I imagine them to be very happy. They are happy not just because of an important award or a film or filmmaker, but because at the time when talk of war, intimidation and aggression is exchanged between politicians, the name of their country – Iran – is spoken here through her glorious culture. A rich and ancient culture that has been hidden under the heavy dust of politics. I proudly offer this award to the people of my country. A people who respect all cultures and civilizations and despise hostility and resentment.”
 

Clash of civilizations, indeed.

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At some point, I really have to consider my suspicion that a significant portion of the population of Israel is certifiably insane. I’d like to think not, but when I read comments like this or see films like Defamation, I can’t help but think that there is an awful lot of mental illness afoot in that land.

This does remind one of Gandhi’s quip when asked “What do you think of Western civilization,” and he answered “I think it would be a good idea.” Farhadi’s speech was as steeped in dignity as his movie.

Even if this had been a so-so movie, it would have been valuable to show Iranians in their everyday lives, hopefully leading people to second-guess the wisdom of attacking and causing misery and death to people who resemble us (what an astonishing concept!). But the movie was absolutely brilliant as well. It really puts almost all American movies to shame.

The Zogby poll numbers are frightening though not surprising. How easy it is to manipulate people with fear-mongering – no evidence or common sense required. Those who refuse to go along with the prevailing sentiment are smeared as soft, or dangerously naive, or terrorist sympathizers. It is so easy to do.

“And that guy is a professor. Of political science. At a real university.”

Well, sort of. The entirety of modern Hebrew culture is part and parcel of the Zionist project, and at Hebe U that means cranking out the needed ideas. See Gabriel Piterberg’s The Returns of Zionism for starters. The late Israel Shahak was ostracized while on the faculty there.

they look exactly like us

no shit. two arms, two legs, jeans and shirt.

Nima, amazing summary. The reasoning of these critics is reminiscent of the Jim Corw South, trapped by bigoted views.

Meanwhile, I loved how our very own USA Today politicized the situation with its award-winning headline, “Iran: Oscar Win Is Victory Over Israel.” The biased article included several helpful paragraphs pushing more tension between the two countries, a convenient neocon non-sequitur that minimizes the beautiful speech given by the director, and bangs the war drums for the chickenhawks.