No One Knows About Persian Cats Response

First of all, I want to note that I really liked the way that this film was shot and produced. I’ve only seen a handful of foreign films but I’ve seen plenty of low-budget films. What separates this low-budget film from the others is the quality of the production. Not only does this film have great shots but there is also a great soundtrack that accompanies it. No One Knows About Persian Cats was a true joy to watch just because of the beautiful music and shots. I don’t know how many other low-budget films that I can honestly say that about, but No One Knows About Persian Cats is certainly one of them.

This film really opened my eyes to some of the sad problems associated with Iran. It was almost surreal to me that this could happen anywhere in the world. Why would a government or establishment restrict their citizens from creating music and showcasing their talents? I assume that the government is afraid of freedom of speech as music can be used as a tool to circulate ideas and thoughts that may be dangerous to the current establishment. In No One Knows About Persian Cats, we see how hard it is for Iranian musicians to pursue their love and passion for the art of music.

One particular scene that made an impact on me was the underground concert. Here in the United States there is no restriction on music and concerts happen every night across the country. Not only do they occur on a regular basis, but they are often filmed to be later broadcasted on various telecasts and DVD’s. It is insane to me to think that people are being imprisoned or perhaps even murdered for engaging in musical creativity. No One Knows About Persian Cats not only shows the struggles of young Iranian musicians but it also shows how the Iranian government is corrupt. The young musicians in the film know that they can’t succeed in their music careers in Iran so they go to the extreme of obtaining a visa and passport to escape to freedom.

It’s sad to think that such a thing could be restricted but I had no idea that this was happening in Iran prior to viewing the film. I think that it’s great that the filmmaker (who apparently is now locked up) brought this issue to international attention. Without this film I would have no idea about this important issue. I appreciate the filmmakers sacrifice to enlighten the world about the injustices that are happening in Iran. Perhaps this film could be the spark to make people in Iran to fight the establishment in order to make changes to the restrictions of musicians. People should be allowed to express themselves in speech, art, and music no matter where they live. There are certain things that shouldn’t be restricted and the freedom to create and perform music is definitely one of them.

It’s a complete restriction of music, no matter the genre. In No One Knows Persian Cats we see a variety of Iranian citizens performing different genres of music. Everything from Indie Rock to Hip Hop is showcased in this film. I just want to keep asking, “Why are these people being subjected to these rules?” But I already know the answer. There is too much power in the freedom of speech. It threatens the current hierarchy from having control over the masses. This is why the Iranian government has forbidden these musicians from performing. They are simply afraid of the thoughts and ideas that could be circulated from such freedom.