Filmfarsi

Rather than a treasure trove of lost classics, Filmfarsi is interested in these films mostly for what they reveal about aspects of Iranian life.

While most cinephiles would think of acclaimed arthouse directors like Abbas Kiarostami or Jafar Panahi when they think of Iranian cinema, "Filmfarsi" is an engaging time capsule of a campy but important earlier era in movies.

For those who are curious about Iran or even film history, the documentary is an invaluable achievement and a remarkable archive of a forgotten period.

Bridging the riotous expression of a country in the midst of an identity crisis with the vilification of cheap thrills by revolutionary fundamentalists, Filmfarsi unearths a buried genre of low-budget films in Iran.