Nader Saeivar on Hijamat and Premiering Without Jafar Panahi

The world premiere of family drama Hijamat will be a bittersweet moment for Iranian writer and director Nader Saeivar. The film was produced and edited by his long-time friend and creative collaborator Jafar Panahi. Saeivar will get to travel to the world premiere of Hijamat in the Crystal Globe main competition at the 60th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on Wednesday, July 8. Hijamat is Saeivar's first feature fully made outside of Iran. The film tells the story of Murad, who struggles to protect his younger brother Kerem when he finds out that the young sibling is gay. The idea that people can change their minds is core to the film.

What happened

Nader Saeivar left Iran for Berlin in the middle of the shoot for Accident, making Hijamat his first feature fully made outside of the country. Karlovy Vary was hoping to welcome Panahi as part of the delegation for the film, but the filmmaker had returned to Iran following the Accident Oscar campaign. Recently, Iranian authorities took his passport, and he faces another prison term in Iran, following a verdict that found him guilty of “propaganda against the regime.” In Hijamat, multihyphenate Kida Khodr Ramadan plays Murad, who struggles to protect his younger brother Kerem when he finds out that the young sibling is gay. Long-buried secrets soon threaten to tear his deeply religious Muslim family and their life in Berlin apart. The film explores the theme of change and how it is necessary to tackle the issues that are like a wall that we have built around ourselves. Saeivar says of the inspiration for the film, "I believe that we have to really tackle the issues that are like a wall that we have built around ourselves."

Why it matters

The film may be set in the Turkish community, but its themes are universal. Saeivar's personal journey and experience mirror the themes explored in Hijamat. Moving to Berlin helped him think about himself, his inner feelings, and the wrong beliefs he had. The film is like Saeivar's story in the present time. He stopped thinking about social issues and people's objectives and instead thought about the roots of these problems.

How to think about it

To think about Hijamat, it is necessary to consider the themes of change and how they are necessary to tackle the issues that are like a wall that we have built around ourselves. The film is like Saeivar's story in the present time, and it explores the roots of the problems that Saeivar faced in his personal journey.

FAQ