Explore New Voices at the Film Archive’s Billy Wilder Theater.
The UCLA Film & Television Archive continues its dedication to showcasing Iranian cinema and the Iranian diaspora with a lineup that honors both new voices and a cinematic landmark from the past. This year’s program, hosted at the Billy Wilder Theater, promises to highlight the resilience and creativity of Iranian filmmakers despite ongoing challenges in their homeland.
Some of the highlights of the program include:
A Cause of Death Unknown: A passenger van carrying a disparate group of travelers cross-country to Tehran becomes a microcosm of a society on the edge in Iranian writer-director Ali Zarnegar’s high-tension thriller.
Roxana: Writer-director Parviz Shahbazi builds an arresting take on the experience of young Iranians struggling to find their way and start their lives in a world where one misstep can have the direst of consequences.
Empty Nets: The rarefied but rough-and-tumble world of caviar smuggling is the milieu for writer-director Behrooz Karamizade’s feature debut, a suspenseful critique of opportunity and tradition in Iran
Ticketing: Admission to Archive screenings at the Hammer is free. Your seat will be assigned to you when you pick up your ticket at the box office. Seats are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. The Box office opens one hour before the event. Questions should be directed to the Archive at programming@cinema.ucla.edu or 310-206-8013.
The press statement from the UCLA Film and Television Archive said, “We are honored to continue our tradition of presenting Iranian cinema at the Billy Wilder Theater. The films selected for this year’s program reflect Iranian filmmakers’ profound humanism, artistry, and courage.”
The screenings are made possible through the generous support of the Farhang Foundation, a key advocate for Iranian arts and culture in Los Angeles.
The schedule for the upcoming screenings is as follows:
- June 21, 2024 – 7:30 pm: Cause of Death: Unknown
- June 22, 2024 – 7:30 pm: Roxana
- June 23, 2024 – 7:00 pm: Empty Nets
- June 28, 2024 – 7:30 pm: Achilles
- June 29, 2024 – 7:30 pm: Dark Matter
- June 30, 2024 – 7:00 pm: In the Land of Brothers
All screenings will take place at the Billy Wilder Theater. For more information and tickets, visit the UCLA Film & Television Archive’s official website.