This weekend, Iranian-born artist Shirin Neshat, a Sundance Institute Artist Trustee, sat at our annual Board Retreat and described in detail a terrifying situation that is not known well enough by any of us, including the media. As we gather this evening, we stand in solidarity with those recently arrested in Iran's post-election demonstrations who include some of the most compelling, clear and independent voices of Iran -- its artists, journalists, filmmakers and human rights leaders, including some who are part of the Sundance community.
Shirin spoke of torture, and in extreme cases, executions. The situation is urgent. We continue together tonight urging the free American media, in all its forms, to surface the facts and to tell this story to the world and bring attention to these profoundly oppressive actions.
Art and social action have danced powerfully together for generations and I expect will continue to be a force for all of time. Those taken off the streets are the soul of Iranian society. When the press doesn't cover adequately the issue of their widespread detention, their stories, their voices, their message all run the risk of falling off the radar. Sundance Institute reaches out now to artists everywhere to stand witness until our colleagues, and all detainees, are released.
We have heard that Sundance documentary film program alumnus Maziar Bahari was arrested on June 21 in Iran, where he was covering the Iranian election. Of Iranian descent, he also holds Canadian citizenship. He was detained without charge and has not been allowed to see a lawyer or his family since.
Shadi Sadr is the central character in Women In Shroud -- a film supported by the Sundance Documentary Film Program -- which follows a dedicated group of Iranian lawyers and activists working together to counter the injustice of the death penalty. The LA Times reports that Shadi was arrested by plainclothes policemen, on her way to Friday prayer in Tehran. Her whereabouts are still unknown.
We stand together tonight as a community raising our voices, to be their voice, for as long as is necessary. As artists and activists we have power to be the light that shines on this situation until the shade is lifted and the voices are once again heard freely.
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we know each other. I didn´t write till now, because I was in the opinion, that it was not the right point in time, though I appreciate, that you wanted to change something.
I thought that the politic prisoners then would be even more tortured, and have less hope to see their homes again. But now the Birthday of the Imam Mahdi was 8/7 and this was a reason to let some prisoners free. I hope this news is true. That´s why I waited till now.
Though it was burning on my tongue. I had been to the Iranian Field hospital in 1st Gulf War. It was a peace mission and I worked there as a doc to treat the kurdish refugees. I did it, because I was familiar with the kurdish culture and could understand their language There was an Atomreactor (producing electricity) 80km distance from our Hospital at the kurdish territory and we´ve got informed that President Clinton wanted to bomb it. Was not a good feeling living with the knowledge that you could die because of Leucamia in ten years. I mean he didn´t do, but nobody woud have told, if he had done so. I could not understand that: kurdish refugees living in tribes mostly in poverty, simple educated and on the other hand threatening a peace mission. Just to say that was no masterpiece and the reactions which happend afterwords were human tragedies. I have seen them.
JOIN HUMANITY
FREE IRAN !
NEDA / THE VOICE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J54eZK3pKgg
http://www.youtube.com/user/weareneda
"It demands great spiritual resilience not to hate the hater whose foot is on your neck, and an even greater miracle of perception and charity not to teach your child to hate." - James Baldwin
NO WAR ON IRAN
PEACE
Thank You Mr. Redford! Good Luck!
Thank You Mr. Redford!
She was one of the most famous artists in the Arab World; who worked endlessly to promote female artists.
She was killed by an American cruise missile in 1999, one of the last acts of President Bill Clinton, who claimed this was in reaction to a plot by Saddam Hussein to assassinate President Bush Sr.
I hope you feel it as badly, Mr. Redford, when an Arab artist is killed?
Nice try to play one injustice off another to protect IRI.
I take it your tasteless reference to jindallah was a 'joke' and doesn't betray an utter lack of knowledge of American history and Iranian politics.
Thank you, ----
Robert Evan Howard ----
aclepd.com ----
aclepd@aclepd.com
People are born with different talents - arts, athletic, doctors, etc. An artist is just another vocation and to put yourselves in your minds above everyone else is what is wrong with our society today.
NO ONE is better than anyone else OR more important that anyone else.
As we gather this evening, we stand in solidarity with those recently arrested in Iran's post-election demonstrations who include some of the most compelling, clear and independent voices of Iran -- its artists, journalists, filmmakers and human rights leaders, including some who are part of the Sundance community.
Those taken off the streets are the soul of Iranian society. When the press doesn't cover adequately the issue of their widespread detention, their stories, their voices, their message all run the risk of falling off the radar. Sundance Institute reaches out now to artists everywhere to stand witness until our colleagues, and all detainees, are released.
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheKalimah
a persian rap song made by Iranian female rapper Kalameh or Kalimah, as an objection to the fraud of presidential elections of June2009 in Iran and the events of following days.
الصمت ليس خيارا - To keep silent is not an option
TALK IS CHEAP, when talk fails what will you do? No need to answer I already know.
It appears that you care for people of Iran! Well, when was the last time you did anything to stop this fatal and unjustified economical sanction against people of Iran. I am not talking about any sensitive technology or military sanctions. I am referring to items that directly affects the daily lives of Iranian people. Young and old, women and men a like. Items like mass transportation equipments such as airplanes and trains. Pharmaceutical and medical equipments. Or perhaps you have no clue what I am talking about?!