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History of Iranian Cinema

History of Iranian Cinema

Scene from “Close Up,” a film by Iran’s most famous director Abbas Kiarostami.

Iran has a flourishing film industry with a wide international audience. In the past 25 years, Iranian films have won 300 international awards.

German filmmaker Werner Herzog has praised the Iranian film industry as one of the world's most important artistic cinema's.

Worldview Film Commenter Milos Stehlik talked to Iranian film critic Mohammad Abdi about the history of the Iranian film industry.

Mohammad Abdi is a writer and art critic for the BBC Persian Service.  

Abdi explains why Iranian cinema has become so popular with Western audiences.

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