- Release year: 2024
- Director: Farahnaz Sharifi.
- Producers: Farzad Pak, Anke Petersen and Lilian Tietjen.
- Screenplay by: Farahnaz Sharifi.
- Cinematography by: Farahnaz Sharifi.
- Music by: Atena Eshtiaghi.
Synopsis: an Iranian filmmaker tells the story of her life and how the current regime has affected her and her country.
Shotgun Commentary: the most beautiful tribute to Iranian women.
Review
My Stolen Planet is Farah’s account of her life. It is told through videos and images of herself, those around her, and other nationals. As an Irani woman, Farahnaz Sharifi has been haunted almost from birth by the rules set by her country’s regime. Rules that don’t follow any religion or morality, merely the thirst for power of a small group of tiny men.
Of men and mice
The feature begins with one big inconsistency. It is always heartbreaking to see individuals being submitted to brainwashing since they are little. Still, making kids swear vengeance on those who kill their “brothers”, when it is them killing most Iranian people, feels a bit like a death wish, no? Sure, they also make children chant that they hate America even before they know what the word means. But just the wording of it is evidence enough of their intelligence…
Their simplicity is further exposed during the documentary with each and every new piece of information disclosed by Sharifi. For a group who supposedly thinks women are inferior and their only reason for existence is to serve them, they seem really afraid of them. Why else do they set up all this rules to take away their freedom?
Sexism with a side of balderdash
The hijab is the main nonsensical regulation. While wearing religious clothing is perfectly acceptable and no one should ever tell you otherwise, utilising it as a weapon of oppression is disgusting and shameful. If you can’t control your sexual impulses, maybe you should go to therapy instead of accusing women of being sinful and trying to cover them up. What’s the logic of covering half of the population just because you have some serious psychological issues? Should we burn all green clothes because they don’t match your seasonal colour palette?
The extent to which women are oppressed sounds straight out of a Nazi satire. Only it is real life, which turns any possible humour into pure horror. Sharifi makes all the right choices for her work, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. Her statements come with proof, gore and heartbreaking as it might be, and her research is indisputable.
Her journey begins with her birth, although she does offer come context for that period in time. She mentions every freedom denied, demonstration and protest. Women burning themselves as a sign of protest and desperation. Women banned from going to a soccer match, forbidden from dancing, drinking, having fun…
Tragic programming
Nevertheless, the most heartbreaking moment of all comes from a confrontation of woman against woman. While men chaining and enslaving women is depressingly predictable, one can never quite get over the sting of seeing a woman on the side of the oppressor. Much like watching women defend convicted-rapist Trump on TV, your blood boils, but your heart aches, thinking about what they must have been through to not be able to see their own chains.
In the video, a very young woman berates another for not wearing a hijab, but unhappy with leaving it at that, she actually films her to report her to the police. In a country where women rather burn themselves alive than be arrested, this young girl doesn’t even hesitate to throw this woman to the wolves. Of course, this interaction comes as no surprise after seeing three-years-old in the beginning of their brainwash process, but that doesn’t make it any easier to digest.
All in all, My Stolen Planet is a reminder, as well as an homage, to some of the bravest women on Earth right now. Women that are enduring a horrible oppression but still prevail and support each other. Shafiri’s feature is pungent and beautiful in its own tragic nature. A work that is guaranteed to stay with you for a long time.
Advice to take from this movie:
- Dancing can be a lot more powerful than it’s given credit for.
- Memory is a gift.
- We need to be and do better as individuals if we want any hope for the future of humanity as a race.
What’s your take? Have you watched My Stolen Planet? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀