Mohammad Esfandiari has approached the childhood and adolescence years of a famous character with the film 'Kooch'. This film narrates the life story before the character becomes a hero and, alongside that, depicts the relationships of an Iranian family in past decades. He and his team faced many challenges in this project, which they referred to in their discussions.
The Process of Turning an Idea into a Film
Esfandiari said about how 'Kooch' was formed: "This film has its roots in a short film that was itself based on a memoir book. Initially, we decided to make a teaser for the recently published book 'It Has Rained', but over time we realized that the project was more than just a teaser and, at the suggestion of Mehdi Motahar, it turned into a short film."
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He further added: "In turning the short film 'Thirteen Years Old' into the feature film 'Kooch', we decided to continue the same model and write based on memories. This approach allowed us to narrate the character naturally without creating heroic traits from the beginning."
Challenges of Biographical Narration
Esfandiari emphasized that 'Kooch' is not a conventional biographical film and efforts have been made to approach various aspects of the character. He stated: "The courage to talk about the differences and weaknesses of the character came from the writings of Haj Qasem. When you refer to his writings, you see an honest human being who has spoken honestly to himself."
Mehdi Motahar, the producer of the film, noted that one of the factors for the success of this project was the shared life experience of the child actors. He said: "Many of the kids had previously worked together on other projects, and this familiarity helped them become a family alongside each other. Also, the shared language of the children contributed to creating a deeper connection."
Family and Society in 'Kooch'
The film 'Kooch' not only narrates the life of the character but also presents a picture of the Iranian family during a historical period. Esfandiari said: "I feel that with 'Kooch' we have somehow made a historical record. In this film, the family and the relationships among its members are depicted. Perhaps in 20 years, many concepts of family will change, and with this work, we have a historical perspective on that period."
Esfandiari also referred to the importance of having teenage judges at the International Film Festival for Children and Adolescents, saying: "This presence is an adventure and discovery for me. The reaction of teenagers to the film is one of the most exciting parts of our presence at the festival." He added that some parts of the film might not resonate with teenagers, but ultimately, this encounter is enjoyable for him.
Finally, Motahar pointed out the challenges of making a film about a national character, saying: "In Iranian cinema, depicting national heroes faces challenges. We tried to present a new approach in this regard with 'Kooch' and get closer to the human aspects of the character."
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