No Land's Song (2014) - full transcript

My main reason for organizing this event

is because the female voice in Tehran

We want to revive the female voice.

Thank you very much.

I hope from now on it will be easier

The cook's mate needs to speed up.

What do you need a spoon for?

Well, should I use my hands?

Smell them and you'll find out.

Sayeh dear, get out of my way!

Whatever...



When the composer is in the house,

Do the salad now.

I really like this part

"Open the window

What I like about this poem

Spring revives many things,

but it cannot make you

The first spring of the Green Movement,

All those hardships...

Spring came and everything

But don't forget:

"Do you remember

how a savage drought

scorched the earth?



Dad, do you remember Sara?

Sayeh was a year ahead at school.

Welcome.

What brings you here?

I'm asking Sayeh

It's a collaboration between

Sounds like a dream!

Female soloists?

First we have to get rid of

then we can promote female soloists.

Fifth floor.

Please sit down.

As soon as I open my door,

How can I help?

You know I'm a composer.

I want to organize a concert

Forget it! You know

- Unless you do it for an all female audience.

Otherwise you won't get permission.

With 3 female singers, could I do it without a man?

What's your motivation?

Femininity in music

and the female voice is fading away.

Let me be frank.

The reason for the regime's hard line

The regime has a fundamental

They don't want women in music at all!

Do you have the film "Madar" with Qamar?

So what are these?

What MP3's?

Do you have Googoosh?

Are these really legal?

So why no Googoosh?

Since when?

I don't know half of them.

Newcomers.

No.

Well, thanks anyway.

But there it says Googoosh.

I want that!

You told me you don't have it

I thought you were a government agent.

It's easier to ignore reality,

but we're not allowed

We're ready to accept all their conditions

if they'd let us sing!

We'll keep singing anyway

Yes, like Qamar, who gave

I think Qamar really wanted it so she made it.

She was not only the first woman

The biggest record labels from Europe

And her songs became immortal

Yes, that was a long time ago,

but Qamar's influence

The basic idea of the concert

Captive nightingale,

And sing the song of freedom

And with your breath

The cruelty of tyrants

Have cast my nest to the winds,

Oh God, oh universe, oh nature,

Tum our dark night into dawn.

Excellent!

Let me tell you something:

Singers these days can't sing without

You're a real singer!

You sing live and so beautifully

Honestly, this is your original voice.

Not like milk with preservatives,

We were wild flowers.

Now our music is better than ever,

but there's no place

What do you think about women singing?

We have to keep our expectations realistic.

You know what I'm saying:

We're not ready for female singers yet.

That's our own fault, too.

We haven't understood

I'll get directly to the point.

I don't want to waste your time.

As I told you on the phone,

the prohibition of

Almighty God gave people

the essential gift of communication.

He says communication

that must stay in a certain range.

Is the range of this frequency

Where would a female voice

For example,

but I'm not allowed to sing.

Sure, in a professional context

Outside that context there's the risk

That's the point.

Look, if you eat simple cheese,

But if you add more and more ingredients,

And what is the connection to singing?

Food and drink

must not alter our normal condition.

They mustn't make us drunk,

Similarly, no decent man sitting in public

should get sexually aroused.

He mustn't deviate from

One day I will sing in Iran

It's such a joy to sing solo in Iran!

I take any chance I get to sing solo,

Once on stage I tell myself:

Sometimes they com plain

How was it before the revolution of '79?

Back than they actually encouraged

When I was little, many agents

I sang on TV when I was 9.

I sang there for a bit.

But my family was against it,

I used to wake up at night and sing,

because I was so sad

- Are you planning a live performance?

Do your singers have work permits?

All my Iranian singers do.

But what do I have to do

- Are they Iranian?

In fact two are French

They're all famous female singers,

different styles and cultures

Oh, oh... Ms. Najafi,

They'd love to come to Iran

Don't you want to involve

I'd rather not.

That's impossible, unless you do it

If you want to do it

you will face many difficulties.

I want to rebuild the cultural bridge

existed between Iran and France

For example, our first national anthem

Well... what can I say...

Just rewrite the application

One man would be enough

and your female singers

Then we could send it through the

No shorts with sequins

"NO, you shall not sing!!!"

When you finished the conservatory,

After I finished the conservatory,

I did my bachelors in piano

Of the nine students,

Our university director believed

learn instruments rather than composition,

because they'd end up in the kitchen anyway.

A musician can at least have a

I see what you're saying.

Like for instance,

male technicians patronize you.

But that's just one detail.

I really have the feeling

Everything you're telling me

What country?

- Iran.

Mullah's regime!

Not good!

Like this it's nice!

You are very beautiful, Miss.

Emel, I want to know more

The moment I saw you on YouTube,

I am one of the fearless free,

One of the secrets

I am the voice of those

I am free and my word is free.

I had a similar experience

On the second day

a lot of people were on the streets

protesting against the election results.

They just walked in silence.

The government gave permission

but they still came and beat and

I was there with my family and friends.

We ran to a hospital and got stuck there.

I felt so close to death

I thought I'd have to write my will.

My first thought was:

What will happen to my instruments

I wrote in my will:

“This instrument goes to my brother Ayah,

That's when I realized

'cause music is the only thing I know.

At this point I think this is the most

A few years ago,

we couldn't even imagine applying

Did you ever regret becoming a singer?

No instrument can convey emotions

When I sang when homesick while

Even when I was singing an Italian song,

All my feelings, sadness, happiness,

Imagine you're not allowed to sing!

It's like the color red ceased to exist

It's the same in music.

How can we sing without

What do you think?

I'm afraid so.

I was hopeful that somehow

But in the past five years,

I don't know why they let me

Any time a ministry official came by,

I had to act like I didn't have any

How did you teach then?

I had to explain how

"Do this and that with your voice.

If your uvula shakes like this,

If you open your mouth 25 cm,

If 12 cm, it'll be "piano".

It's funny,

I ask them:

Take me as an example!

You're that candid with them?

Because when you listen to your voice

you want to present it.

This was the entrance to the cinema.

Before the revolution this was a cabaret.

During the revolution

Now I think it's a printing house.

So that was "Cabaret Metro"?

The "Moulin Rouge" was over there.

Lalehzarz What a street that was!

It was THE street in Tehran.

On weekends it was full of people.

There were all sorts of hangouts...

You could have a drink, you could

You could enjoy your weekend.

Some went to salons,

We had live music, dancing, alcohol...

I was in the "Moulin Rouge" salon twice,

The salon was down here

You could look down

Do you remember

Sure, I was born in this neighborhood.

So you remember Qamar?

I don't.

How about Delkash?

I'll sing a new song for you.

I sing when I'm drunk.

I'm in love. I've lost myself.

I won't stop drinking.

The party must go on.

I won't let happiness end.

I'll just follow my lust.

When I'm drunk

the world seems

more beautiful to me!

- Was it safe?

Were there any problems for ladies?

Not at all.

At midnight, female artists

Lalehzar street and nobody cared.

Do you remember when

After the revolution of '79,

That's how their system works:

They even believe

You think they'd let them sing?!

What's the situation?

We first me! exactly one year ago.

What we're waiting for now

is the decision of the

If they accept us.

Here are the 4 main songs

that have been approved by the censors.

The other songs are reserved

Sara composed some of them.

The idea is to begin working in Paris

with you guys and the 3 singers.

Then we'll send your work to Tehran,

and the Iranian musicians will revise it

We'll work back and forth like this.

- So everything will be recorded?

Talking about these kinds of exchanges

I think it works better,

to adapt ourselves to them

It's really difficult because

in their traditional songs.

And

With our breeding ground,

Do you agree, Sebastien?

Actually, you do.

The X in 'Xoda' is pronounced 'Kha'.

Can we follow that a priori?

There are some differences here.

It's not the right lyrics.

Oh gosh, it's hard!

Poor girls!

Then it's 6/8 count, right?

But the song is so long!

It sounds a bit like a 'bourr,e'.

Ora polka.

I don't understand a thing.

I won't sing that.

Yes you will!

I can't follow.

And this can be sung by a woman?

Another question:

Why is it okay for

and give women a fast heartbeat?

It's debated whether Adam was a man

God extracted the female part

And what was left became the man.

The man got toughness

to go out and work and be strong.

The woman got tenderness

to feed the baby

So a woman is more lender

And when she speaks,

she is nine times more lender

You see, that's why a man

but a woman is.

When a woman sings solo,

When three women sing together,

But if the three singers change

Except in necessary situations.

Even if she wants to buy cigarettes

Oh, thank you!

The kid will become a musician too!

She always reacts when you sing.

Why don't we also interpret the songs

Why shouldn't the bridge be two-way?

Yes! Let's also build a cultural bridge!

We'll build the bridge!

Yes, we'll build the bridge

I've built and built... I should build a new bridge

Honestly, well done!

I'm really excited to hear

Because Iranian music

it's easier for us to play with them.

But as they play so precisely

they might have a harder time.

And our job is made easier.

But I don't think we'll have much trouble.

It will be very exciting.

It's something really new.

You have a great ear,

Don't till your head upwards.

- So how should I do it?

When a rooster crows,

Like its voice is stuck in its throat.

Well done!

Great. You're in.

Go higher! This could be

And he'll leave us

I didn't know singing was that easy.

Hello, when I heard the news yesterday,

I thought I'd come ask

I'm so sorry!

We sent in the copies of their passports

you brought for the background check.

Who did you ask

Both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

I don't know whom else they consulted.

But they said it's not appropriate

I'd recommend not going any further!

But what's the problem?

This is the current situation

You live here.

If I'd known,

But it's useless, Ms. Najafi.

Why?

But I need to know why!

Does anything have a clear answer

I'm telling you straightforward:

A lot of things have no reason.

Qamar also fought to be able to sing.

You know better than I do

She was arrested many times

But Qamar resisted and sang

when most women were burkas

She sang about political freedom

Now they won't give us permission,

and they want to force us back

So here's our historic "Grand Hotel".

Imagine Qamar walking up these stairs.

Qamar, Neydavoud, other artists...

Imagine:

In 1924, Qamar gave her

The venue and garden were packed

Now look what's left.

Look over there...

I'm sure there were religious fanatics

Qamar herself said

Regardless, Qamar sang without a veil

It just makes you want to cry

I'm about to cry...

Don't film! Turn it off!

Could we look inside?

No, it's private storage.

Here's the stage where Qamar sang.

Here she made the song

The cruelty of tyrants

Have cast my nest to the winds,

Oh God, oh universe, oh nature,

Tum our dark night into dawn.

I don't understand.

For a long time now,

be accepted over there.

Why did they suddenly

They don't give a proper answer.

So I can only guess

Since I started this project,

in the Ministry of Culture

Each of them had different agendas.

The audience will welcome us

They're worried the audience

That's what bothers them.

We also have too many

which makes them uneasy.

The fact that you

from the Ministry of Culture and

is a sign that the project

Regarding the suggestion

The Iranian Embassy in Paris

is not touristic but professional.

We strongly advise you

with a tourist visa in this situation.

Furthermore, the official declaration

and Islamic Guidance

is a warning to all Iranian musicians

that must be taken very seriously.

I'm not against the idea of going!

Because

Because anyway, I don't know

I have the feeling

It will never be easy.

And even after the elections,

I don't think the situation

and things will be better for us.

It's a mistake to believe that.

But I understand it can be risky

to go with a tourist visa.

But it's only music!

Our work stays within

so I don't see why

But we're leaving that framework,

Without a tourist or work visa,

we'd be leaving that framework!

No, we can'! go with a tourist visa.

If we can get one,

And even if we get one,

they'll find out we're actually

That would be even more provocative.

This project is considered subversive.

That's why I want to do it.

That's what the project

Ultimately, it's a great idea

to perform a small act of resistance,

and to say something there.

It's tempting to stand up straight!

Not to bow down

"You can't come"...

Well, that's what embassies do

I can't take this anymore,

It's exhausting!

- You want us to make a decision?

- Personally, I...

- I'm not giving up on anything!

We can't keep going on like this:

Let's sleep on it and decide tomorrow.

We're very disappointed we're unable

But the situation right now...

The Intelligence Office

No concert before

Look, this country experienced

during the 2009 elections.

The regime is afraid the movement

Someone might wave a green scarf

Because you're from here,

Don't talk about the green scarf. We won't

But Intelligence says: "Even if you

you can't force foreigners

Intelligence claims the "Green Movement"

was a conspiracy that's been eliminated.

But we all know the spark

Do you think we'll have a chance after the elections?

If things remain quiet,

one week after the elections.

If things and up like in 2009,

there's no chance for a concert

We're thrilled!

Ahmadi, bye bye!

In this spring of freedom,

We finally got

We have 20 days.

20 days? Who knows what

What a long journey it's been!

It was more than brutal!

Then last week they said:

"There might be a war in Syria!"

I thought:

While we're getting ready...

I'll come late to the first rehearsal,

screaming "Allahu Akbar!"

BOOM! Then an explosion.

They won't come back again!

It's really not that strange.

They've never experienced

They've never experienced war

Not like us: bombs, missiles,

They don't know what

Of course they're afraid.

For us, shock would be

into a luxury resort on an island.

We'd be speechless:

But if someone tells us to go to Syria,

It always ends on "...ananeh".

We could jam 'til morning...

Ms. Najafi?

Can you come here for a minute?

It's weird to stop

What did he say?

He wants to talk to Sara in person.

This is strange.

The Ministry of Culture called for Sara

Sara asked for two things

Continue the rehearsal.

I have a second request:

so this problem is resolved quickly.

Be cautious how you dress,

This goes for both musicians and crew.

Sara has been receiving threats

Threats?

They keep asking: What's this?

- What's going on?

An extreme right-wing press agency

to bring their canons into position.

They're just waiting

Yesterday there was something on the

Emel Mathlouthi?

In Tehran, in Iran and all around the world,

people are talking about what she posted:

"For the first time women will go

What are you planning?

A concert with female solos

And with foreign artists?

You've set us all up

Everything is messed up now.

Whatever we do,

Now we have to find a solution.

We'll give you $4000,

You're allowed to invite only

Are you with me?

It all started yesterday.

After the rehearsal,

The first was that

so the men need to sing louder

Another point that came up

I won't go into detail.

We can't write anything

And this morning,

had me sign a paper

for the entire group's Facebook pages

In the end,

but without cameras

They want the names

And they'll give us $4000.

But it has to be here in this room.

I don't think we should perform

I've performed in Iran before

We sang in groups,

We'd agreed to abide by all the rules,

I personally will not sing.

I don't think we should play.

Because we're not puppets.

We shouldn't agree to work

I'm just wondering

if we announce that we refuse to play

The manager is coming for me again...

Tell him I'll be there in 15 minutes.

I'll be there in 15 minutes.

The situation with the female voice

This has been going on

Women aren't allowed to sing.

I'm sorry you had to

in this country we live in.

But nothing can be done about it.

I hope we'll have a better opportunity

under better conditions,

somewhere where

And thanks to Sara

Anyway, I apologize again for

everything!

I'm terribly sorry that women

are the source of this problem.

I have the impression women

I propose that we eliminate

and any trace of femininity in men

Actually, it puts me in a kind of

rage!

We really can'! do it.

It really shouldn't take place

I think that's exactly what they want.

You think they want us

I think they wanted to buy us

It's good we're saying no

But by rejecting their offer,

So not taking the stage can be a

It's risky, but we've already lost.

Let's play with a winning hand

Does Sara want to continue?

Let's smile and stay positive!

Sorry for being late,

We decided under these circumstances:

Without a public audience or

we are not going to perform,

Don't you think you're only harming

It doesn't matter. We're used to

But canceling a concert because

This is nothing but a game!

Why should we perform in this lobby?

I wanted... You know what: I wanted

how difficult it is

And they got it! It's terrible and

Why can I not have a concert

My Tar player just became a mother.

She came to rehearsals throughout her

Just to do something.

Now that right has been taken from us.

We're so miserable

They said neither they

wanted the French artists to leave

I told them you're going

And they asked us

to discuss it some more.

I told them we'll only give the concert

Today at 8 pm we'll rehearse

And tomorrow from 4 p.m.

This way's less crowded.

So we can get through

Please move through

Oh, I scream over this 'justice'.

Oh, I scream over this 'justice'.

They only speak and do nothing.

Oh, God! Oh, God!

Oh, God! Oh, God!

See the chasm

between their words and their actions.

The dew has fallen on the stone.

The dew was bloodied.

Blood drove them crazy!

Get involved, take risks!

Destroy the house of tyranny!

Dear sister, worker,

Artisan, young man

We're all part of one front,

that oppressor,

Get involved, take risks!

Destroy the house of tyranny!

Get involved, take risks!

Destroy the house of tyranny!

I'd like to dedicate this song

from the Tunisian youth

I am part of the free and unafraid,

I am the secrets that never die,

I am the voice of those

I am the secret of the red rose,

A redness that was worshipped for years.

And whose perfume was buried in a day.

It came out, its veil ablaze,

To summon all free humans.

I am the free of the united world,

From cartridges 1 rise.

Thank you very much!

I hope from now on it will be easier

I hope from now on it will be easier

Honesty and love are just myths.

Trust and honor have disappeared.

They justify their corruption

Cry! Cry!

English subtitles:
Rick Minnich