Persian Culture

Salam,

I have enrolled on this film studies course run by City Lit on Tuesday evenings from 6th January to 10th February 2026 in Covent Garden at a cost of £149. Come and join me! It would be the beginning of building a Persian community in London.

https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/iranian-cinema

It explores an overview of the specific historical, cultural, artistic, and industrial currents which shaped the history of Iranian cinema. We will examine the development of a film industry in Iran, before looking more closely at the emergence of specific genres in Iranian cinema in the 1960s. We will see how major historical events, such as the totalitarian regime of the Shah, the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and the Iran-Iraq war (1980-88) left an indelible mark on Iranian society which was reflected through Iranian films in various ways. We shall also consider the different cinematic ‘new waves’ which emerged out of Iran, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and in the 1990s, and attempt to analyse and theorise what it was about their style and themes which made them so remarkable. We will also examine theoretical frameworks to study why it is that some Iranian films can travel abroad and connect with international audiences, while others remain for domestic audiences. Furthermore, other issues such as the representation of gender (of masculinity in 1960s genre films, or of female protagonists in the ‘New Iranian Cinema’ of the 1990s/2000s) will also be considered, both in terms of the specific Iranian context and wider gender theories.

### What will we cover?

• An historical overview of the origins of cinema and a film industry in Iran
• The context of cinema under the Shah’s regime and the emergence of an Iranian New Wave in the 1960s and 1970s
• The impact of the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War on cinema and the film industry
• The ‘New Iranian Cinema’ of the 1990s, its stylistic traits and themes, its cultural roots, as well as some critical perspectives on its international success
• The representation of women characters and their narratives in Iranian cinema
• Transnational Iranian cinema: some Iranian directors like Abbas Kiarostami and Asghar Farhadi have become global filmmakers, but in what ways are their films still Iranian?
• Diasporic Iranian cinema: many films made by Iranian filmmakers or about Iranian society are now being made outside Iran. We shall consider the reasons for this and examine the consequences of such films

### What will I achieve?By the end of this course you should be able to:

• Assess a range of key Iranian films and filmmakers
• Situate a range of Iranian cinema within historical, social and cultural contexts
• Identify and assess recurring themes and stylistic traits of a range of Iranian filmmakers
• Evaluate Iranian cinema from various critical frameworks and perspectives

### What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

The course is suitable for all levels and you do not require any particular skills, just an interest in Iranian cinema and Iranian history.

### How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

Short clips from the films will be provided, as well as reading materials. The class will be structured around a combination of PowerPoint presentations, film clips and class discussions.

### Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

The tutor will show extracts from films and you do not have to obtain them.

Join me on:
English reading club: www.meetup.com/persian-culture
Spanish reading club: www.meetup.com/gaia-libros
French reading club: www.meetup.com/gaia-livres
Instagram @persian_culture_

Salam,

I am celebrating the historic launch of the UK’s first Afghan Radio Station on DAB, bringing Afghan culture, music, news and community voices to households nationwide.
Afghan Radio UK – DAB Launch Ceremony
A New Era for Afghan Media in the United Kingdom
An introduction to the UK’s first Afghan Radio Station on DAB

Reserve your spot:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/launch-of-afghan-radio-uk-uks-first-afghan-radio-station-on-dab-tickets-1974511385707

EVENT OBJECTIVES
Join us as we unveil this groundbreaking radio platform dedicated to representing and uplifting the Afghan community across the UK. This pioneering station will broadcast in Farsi, Dari, Pashto and English, offering news, cultural programming, music, community updates, youth voices, and opportunities for British Afghans to share their stories.
At a time when Afghan communities across the UK seek connection, representation and reliable information, this station will serve as a vital hub—promoting cultural heritage, amplifying diverse perspectives, and strengthening community cohesion. Afghan Radio UK will also provide media training, volunteering opportunities and a platform for emerging Afghan talent.

The station will broadcast nationally on DAB and will soon be available on smart speakers, its official website, Radioplayer, and TuneIn, ensuring easy access for listeners across the UK and worldwide.
This launch marks a historic moment, celebrating Afghan identity, creativity and the importance of community-led media.

DATE: Thursday 15 January 2026
TIME: 5pm – 9pm
LOCATION: Afghanistan and Central Asian Association, Unit 9 Griffin Centre, Staines Road, Feltham, TW14 0HS
TICKETS: FREE ENTRY
Closest Tube station: Hatton Cross
Closest Train stations: Feltham
For any queries, please contact Darius Nasimi on WhatsApp at 07440153483.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
Dr. Nooralhaq Nasimi MBE HonDSS (RHUL) – Founder & CEO, Afghanistan and Central Asian Association (ACAA)

PANEL SPEAKERS:
Professor Anna Gupta – School of Law and Social Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London
Keith Best, Former Member of Parliament for Anglesey and Chair & Chief Executive of Wyndham Place Charlemagne Trust
Shabnam Nasimi, Former Senior Policy Advisor to the Minister for Afghan Resettlement, Victoria Atkins MP, and to the Minister for Refugees, Lord Harrington
Philip Ruark-Davis, Education and Training Consultant, Afghanistan

FREE AFGHAN FOOD & TRADITIONAL LIVE MUSIC IS INCLUDED.
Live performance by renowned Afghan singer Yasin Mansuri.

Join me on:
English reading club: www.meetup.com/persian-culture
Spanish reading club: www.meetup.com/gaia-libros
French reading club: www.meetup.com/gaia-livres
Instagram @persian_culture_

Join us for an evening of conversation with one of Central Asia's greatest novelists, Hamid Ismailov, to discuss his latest novel We Computers.

Buy your ticket:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-evening-with-hamid-ismailov-kings-road-tickets-1975109600985?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

‘Many paths cross in Ismailov’s beautiful new work—poetry, history and the infinite imagination. Every path winding into another. Every path worth taking.'—Patti Smith

In the late 1980s, French poet and psychologist Jon‑Perse finds himself in possession of one of the most promising inventions of the century: a computer. Enchanted by snippets of Persian poetry he learns from his Uzbek translation partner, Abdulhamid Ismail, Jon-Perse builds a computer program capable of both analyzing and generating literature. But beyond the text on his screen there are entire worlds—of history, philosophy, and maybe even of love—in the stories and people he and AI conjure.

Hamid Ismailov brings together his work as a poet, translator, and student of literature of both East and West to craft a postmodern ode to poetry across centuries and continents. Crossing the poètes maudits with beloved Sufi classics, blending absurdist dreams with the life of the famed Persian poet Hafez, moving from careful mathematical calculations to lyrical narratives, Ismailov invents an ingenious transnational poetics of love and longing for the digital age. Situated at the crossroads of a multilingual world and mediated by the unreliable sensibilities of digital intelligence, this book is a dazzling celebration of how poetry resonates across time and space.

Join me on:
English reading club: www.meetup.com/persian-culture
Spanish reading club: www.meetup.com/gaia-libros
French reading club: www.meetup.com/gaia-livres
Instagram @persian_culture_

# The Ballad of Tara + Marjan + Introduction

The Ballad of Tara (Cherike-ye Tara) is Beyzaie’s finalpre-revolutionary feature. As the film prepared for its premiere, the revolution intervened and the film was abruptly banned. Never screened in Iran, it can now be seen for the first time in London in a brand-new restoration.

Tara, a strong-willed widow, encounters an ancient warrior spirit in the forest near her village. The ghostly figure pursues her relentlessly, trying to steal a sword she inherited from her father.
Finding himself in love with Tara, the warrior becomes barred from returning to the realm of the dead.
The screening is preceded by a short fragment from Shahla Riahi’s Marjan (1956), the only surviving material from the first Iranian feature film directed by a woman.

Buy your ticket:
https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2026/event/masterpieces-of-the-iranian-new-wave-the-ballad-of-tara

We will have a discussion about the films at Barbican’s café.

Introduced by season curator Ehsan Khoshbakht. Join me on:
English reading club: www.meetup.com/persian-culture
Spanish reading club: www.meetup.com/gaia-libros
French reading club: www.meetup.com/gaia-livres
Instagram @persian_culture_