Raving Iran

Synopsis

Most U.S. audiences have had no exposure to contemporary urban youth cultures in Iran, a country that is often the subject of depressing news coverage and mainstream media representations conveying little about the actual lives of its people. Although recent UN reports indicate that human rights violations have worsened under Hassan Rouhani’s Presidency, Iran’s cultural landscape has become increasingly diverse and dynamic, reflecting a growing interest in rap music, hip hop, techno, and other artistic expressions that are threatened by censorship. Director Sue Regina Meures’s Raving Iran focuses on two of Tehran’s most notorious underground DJs, Anoosh and Arash, whose mission is to bring electronic dance music and rave culture to the masses, but whose livelihood is threatened by a governmental crackdown on such “punishable” political acts. With undercover footage (some of it shot on a hidden iPhone) detailing the complications that the duo — known to their fans as “Blade & Beard” — faces in seeking government approval, selling music recordings, and organizing parties with reliable security, this documentary provides compelling insights into the perseverance of artists who are ultimately forced to leave loved ones behind in pursuit of a higher calling. A propulsive, deeply hypnotic film, Raving Iran is as bouncy as the base-thumping house music performed by its two youthful subjects.

– By David Scott Diffrient