In this piece my husband and I sit down for a lesson in Farsi. We both face the individual cameras that are recording us so that it is easier for the audience to relate to each one of us on a seperate level. The frame is tight on our faces, and we interact with each other at times so that there is an established relationship while still feeling isolated in our own frames. With this piece I wanted to explore the playfulness, the excitement, the awkwardness of the sounds, the frustration and the duration of learning this language all at once. I am working on the edits on the piece to make it flow a little better. Your thoughts are appreciated.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Farsi Lesson- By Jenna M. Montazeri
My husband's first language is Farsi. Mine is English. Although he is fluent in English and communication is never an issue, the idea of sharing something that is near and dear to his heart is always a desire. He comes from a culture that is so deeply rooted in poetry and beauty, and I long to go through that portal of language to understand his heritage more deeply. But, alas, language- any language- seems unattainable and distant. Sometimes the words just seems like sounds with no meaning attached. It is hard for me to remember. Hard for me to let it sink in. And I always end up at square one- usually the alphabet.
In this piece my husband and I sit down for a lesson in Farsi. We both face the individual cameras that are recording us so that it is easier for the audience to relate to each one of us on a seperate level. The frame is tight on our faces, and we interact with each other at times so that there is an established relationship while still feeling isolated in our own frames. With this piece I wanted to explore the playfulness, the excitement, the awkwardness of the sounds, the frustration and the duration of learning this language all at once. I am working on the edits on the piece to make it flow a little better. Your thoughts are appreciated.
In this piece my husband and I sit down for a lesson in Farsi. We both face the individual cameras that are recording us so that it is easier for the audience to relate to each one of us on a seperate level. The frame is tight on our faces, and we interact with each other at times so that there is an established relationship while still feeling isolated in our own frames. With this piece I wanted to explore the playfulness, the excitement, the awkwardness of the sounds, the frustration and the duration of learning this language all at once. I am working on the edits on the piece to make it flow a little better. Your thoughts are appreciated.
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It's a beautiful work - you should be proud. It has a wonderful clean, minimal aesthetic, characteristic of many Iranian films. In your case the aesthetic proves cool and distant whilst intimate, moving.
ReplyDeleteThe work was really moving!! It captivated me through the narrative. At BMOCA when it was playing I noticed that I was reiterating some of the sounds or words quietly to myself.
ReplyDeletethe blurry effects and sound lapses create such a dynamic tension, full of frustration and empathy, for the viewer.
Also, I remember you told us that your husband was worried that it cast him in a negative light. I percieved him as forgiving and light-hearted. Just so he knows :)