The Plays and Films of Bahram Beyzaie

"Bahram Beyzaie is one of Iran's leading auteur filmmakers. This book examines several of Beyzaie's films and plays and their preoccupation with the modalities of Iranian contemporary, historical and mythical identity, from different perspectives. The chapters analyse films such as Bashu, the Little Stranger, Killing Mad Dogs and Uncle Moustache from a range of critical perspectives including ecofeminist and socio-political readings. They also explore Beyzaie's use of genre, different Iranian languages, and the representation of religious themes. Together, the chapters show how Beyzaie's works negotiate narratives of belonging in Iran, and how they use the resources of Iranian folk and performance traditions to comment on the position of women, children, intellectuals, and minorities in society"--

Saeed Talajooy is a Senior Lecturer in Persian at the University of St Andrews, UK. Talajooy has taught world literature since 1997 and Persian language, literature, drama and cinema since 2008. His research is focused on the changing patterns of the modalities of Iranian identity as reflected in Iranian theatre, cinema and literature. His publications include several articles, chapters, play translations and analysis books, a co-edited volume entitled Resistance in Contemporary Middle Eastern Studies: Literature, Cinema and Music (2012), and a recent monograph entitled Iranian Culture in Bahram Beyzaie's Cinema and Theatre (I.B.Tauris, 2023).