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Cast & Crew
Hassan Fathi /
Director
 After
successful career as the creator of such diverse,
popular TV series as Heroes Never Die, The Tenth
Night and Brighter Than Darkness, Hassan FAT-HI has
gone through a different experience in his debut
feature. With emphasis on visual elements and a
joyful, light atmosphere, Fat-hi has worked on a
romantic-comedy, apparently a new genre in Iranian
cinema. After his long career in television, he has
cooperated with a huge cast of Iranian best-known
actors in his first movie, but once again, focuses
on his favorite theme, cross-cuttings of modernism
and tradition in our lives. However, this time, he
narrates hi story in a sweet, absorbing way. Born in
1959 in Tehran, Fat-hi has been always involved with
reproduction of Iranian culture and traditions in
his works. For his reason, too many film experts
compare his works with Ali Hatami’s milestones in
history of Iranian cinema., In Marriage, Iranian
Style, Fat-hi portrays such Iranian forgotten
traditions as proposal and wedding ceremony, but
clearly, his view to future is completely different:
“I have done my best to make a film in praise of joy
and lust of life – since joyfulness is a rare thing
in our society. On the other hand, in this plot, we
had the chance to deal with thought-provoking,
charming characteristics of Iranian culture and
think more about original concepts of family life.
Therefore, there is a family, faithful, faithful to
our lovely traditions of the past, but not conflict
with the brave, modern world.” He believes that
Marriage, Iranian Style has been made with a
positive view to Iranian culture and is impressive
introduction of our homeland. Maybe means that it
can communicate with every viewer in any spot of the
world: “We have welcomed all people who are not
eager to make war on us! There is just one
condition: Respect our culture and identity. That’s
all!”
Ali Moallem /
Producer
 Born
in 1962 in Tehran, Ali Moallem spent his childhood
in his hometown, Damghan. Graduated in Film
Directing (BA) from Tehran Radio and Television
College and Arts Researches (MA) from Arts
University, Moallem worked as a professor in Radio
and Television College and a member of film
production, distribution and researches assemblies
in such organizations as Ministry of Culture and
Islamic Guidance and Soureh Cinema Organization. As
a founding member and three-time president of
Iranian Association of Film Critics, Writers and
Translators, and two-time inspector of Khaneh-ye
Cinema, he served as a juror in Piong-yang, Tehran
Short Film, Students' Film and Family Film
Festivals. In 1985, Moallem began his career as a
film critic and writer in collaboration with "Soroush"
and "Keyhan Cultural' and continued his work in
launch of "Culture and Cinema" Magazine. In 1992, he
founded "Picture World Magazine as a professional
source in film theoretical debates. In the past
twelve years, "Picture World" has established itself
as the most-circulated Iranian film magazine in
cooperation with some of the most prominent national
film critics and writers. Moreover, "Picture World"
publishes the first children's and young adults'
Film periodical and also English issues on different
occasions. In 2001, Moallem worked as a co-producer
on Behrouz Afkhami's "Hemlock" (a national
box-office hit, well received by Iranian film
critics), but his first solo venture as a film
producer, Abkhazia’s "The Rivers End (GAVKHUNI)",
brought him international recognition, when
represented in numerous festivals - including Fajr,
Cannes' Quinzaine des Realisateurs, Brisbane,
Asia-Pacific, etc. - all around the world in 2004.
If his First solo production was involved with new
experiences in film language and Film form in
Iranian cinema, his new project, "Marriage, Iranian
Style", is a reflection of his preoccupations about
a well-made production with certain groups of target
audience. He believes that "Marriage, Iranian Style
is a film for all cultures. As an experience in
modem fairy tales, it attempts to accommodate
popular comedy-romantic tradition in Iranian
context." A well-known producer, host and writer of
TV programs about movies and cultural issues,
Moallem is also a founding member of Iranian
National Cinema Foundation.
Dariush ARJMAND (Actor)
 Sixty-years-old
Arjmand, believes that he is of this earth: he is of
Iran. After his bravura performance in Nasser
Taghvai’s Captain Khorshid, Massud Kimiai’s protest
and Davoud Mir-BAgheri’s Protest and Davoud Mir-Bagheri’s
Snowman and Imam Ali (PBUH), he has appeared in
Marriage, Iranian style energetically. He says,
“role of Haj Ebrahim was a rebirth for me. I wanted
to give birth to a new character with his role, to
involve him with his own conflicts and to lead him
to his new points of view.” Always successful in
establishing himself as a mighty classic performer,
Arjmand analyzes his new character as “an identity
brought out of the heart of history, a character
brought out of a historical gene to present a
perspective of Iranian social / historical
psychology.
Saeed KANGARANI (actor)
 Born
in 1954 in Tehran, Saeed Kangarani is best known for
his appearances in some Iranian film an TV
masterpieces as Massud Kimiai’s Reza, the
motorcyclist, Nasser Taghvai’s Dear Uncle Napoleon,
Dariush Mehrjui’s The Cycle and Khosro Haritah’s The
Janitor. Although he has been abroad for rather a
long time, he has always remembered for his
unforgettable appearances. “I was out of Iran for
many years,” says Kangarani, “But I was burning in
love for my country. At last, by the will of God,
everything was prepared for my return and
retaliating all the chaotic past years in
collaboration with Ali Moallem and Hassan Fat-hi.
First I was really anxious, but now, all those
distances have faded away and I am so happy to be
with my family –Iranian cinema – once again!”
Daniel Holms (actor)
 He
is born in 1963, in Edmonton, Canada. He is not an
actor, but the plot has had much similarity to his
history. As an American son-in-law, David remembers
his own life, “I came to Iran five years ago. I fell
in love with an Iranian girl. I chose Islam and
married the girl. Now I am repeating it in a film.
Oh, Gosh! What a strange fate!” Holmes thinks that
Marriage, Iranian Style is an extraordinary project.
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Shila Khodadad
 Born
in Tehran, after working in four films, shila Khodadad
played the role of an Indian girl, a TV series named A
Passenger from India and she become famous almost overnight.
In marriage, Iranian Style, she plays shirin, Haj Ebrahim’s
daughter who shall pass too many obstacles in order to reach
her American suitor. Khodadad says, “Its obvious that having
a balanced relation between freedom and tradition is
something accessible. leading to a more beautiful life.” She
adds, Marriage, Iranian Style is an absolutely Iranian
movie. For those who want to know Iran much better!
Mohammad Reza
Sharifina
 Q:
"How old are you, Mr. Sharifi-nia?" A: "I don't
answer! I advise all men not to tell anyone about
their date of birth too! It would be much more
exciting then!" Born in Tehran in the year of...
(!), he plays Haj Nosrat - a scheming merchant in
bazaar. To name some of his important roles, it
would be better to attach a copy of History of
Iranian Films to this small booklet! However, this
role resembles to his role in the box-office hit,
Donya, in- so many ways. He admits, "Haj Nosrat is a
perfect role. I want to repeat this stereotype in
movies (as Chaplin reworked his typical character)!
Because I know that audience will like it very
much!"
Fatemeh Goudarzi
 Born
in Tehran, Fatemeh Goudarzi began with Mehdi
Sabbagh-zadeh’s The Quite Home and become a lovely
figure in Iranian cinema quite soon. Always
portrayed as a firm and devoted woman, Goudarzi
believes that she has been fundamentally affect by
archetypal mother in Marriage, Iranian Style. She
must argue with her husband, Haj Ebrahim, and her
daughter, Shirin, to maintain the integrity of her
family and to make her beloved girl happy. Thinking
of critics’ views as an important factor in bulding
her career, Goudarzi says, “I just wanted to say
that I have not repeated myself in Marriage, Iranian
Style. It is like an enjoyable meal, which I love
it. And everyone must remember that my acting age is
about twenty and something, not more then that!”
Ladan Tabatabaee
 Born
in Tehran, Ladan Tabatabaee is a well-educated
performer who gained attention in her first acting
venture, Strange Sisters. Although Tabatabaee has
had a successful career in films and TV (most
recently in the memorable role of a female police
officer in Aeake and Slept TV series), she has got
into a big challenge to play in historical,
spectacular series despite the fact that she is most
distinguished for her modern persona. With much
respect for film acting, Tabatabaee explains, “I
play Forouzan in Marriage, Iranian Style – a girl
from a relatively traditional, middle-class family
who has strived to adapt herself with modern world.
To bear the sufferings of modernization, she has
given up herself to education, hard working and
stubbornness; a character never willing to use her
feminity as a weapon!”
Hesam Navab safavi
 Born
in 1974 in Tehran, Hessam Navab-Safavi is one of the
busiest actor’s nowa days. Because of his unique
mime, Navab-Safavi has accepted a mixed variety of
double roles in films and TV. Best-known for his
role in Bread and Love and Motorcycle 1000, he plays
a different character in Marriage, Iranian Style -
this time, he is honest with himself and the
audience, but tries to cheat his father, Haj Nosrat.
He says, "Hamid leads a double life. One, in his
house, and another, outside of it." For this film,
Navab-Safavi had his long hairs cut to play Hamid
more convincingly. He adds, "Each time in make-up
room, my hair got shorter and shorter!" |
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Polite Proposal
