It has taken over 20 years to bring Azar Nafisi’s bestselling memoir, Reading Lolita in Tehran, to the screen, and the man who finally got it made was Israeli director Eran Riklis.
The movie is now playing in theaters around Israel and opened to rave reviews in Italy and France a few months ago.
Riklis, one of Israel’s leading directors, is known for his acclaimed prize-winning movies on a diverse range of themes. After he first read the book in 2008, he was impressed. “Even though I understood it’s quite a challenge to adapt it to a movie, I felt it’s my kind of material,” he said.
The book and the movie tell the story of Nafisi (Golshifteh Farahani), an Iranian literature professor who leaves the US with her husband following the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and returns to Tehran, hoping that there would be freedom there following the downfall of the corrupt regime of the shah.
While at first, she thinks she can continue to teach books such as Huckleberry Finn and The Great Gatsby to university students, soon she is challenged by Islamic extremist students who question why her course features Western literature.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Moshe Edery, Eran Riklis, Golshifteh Farahani, and Mina Kavani. (credit: Courtesy Reading Lolita in Tehran)
“Great books are supposed to make you feel uneasy. And make you question what you take for granted,” she tells them, and tries to keep the debate going by putting The Great Gatsby on a mock trial.
But soon, she is forced to wear a hijab on campus, and, not long after that, following riots, she can no longer teach at all – in public. But she satisfies her literary soul by teaching forbidden Western classics to a group of women in her home, including novels such as Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
The women in the group bond and open up about their lives, inspired by the literature they are reading. The movie follows some of their stories as they suffer at the hands of the repressive Iranian government. In one especially harrowing sequence, Sanaz (Zar Amir Ebrahimi) is arrested and given 80 lashes when her doctor learns she is not a virgin. Another has an abusive husband, and they all keep the group a secret – there’s no knowing how severe their punishment might be for taking part in it. As she hears what they have suffered, Nafisi struggles over whether to stay in Iran or move back to the US, which means abandoning her mother and friends, as well as her language and culture.
Eran Riklis's various works
Riklis makes movies both in Israel and around the world, and is known for such films as The Syrian Bride, about a young Druze woman and her family in the Golan; Spider in the Web, a spy story starring Ben Kingsley; and A Borrowed Identity (aka Dancing Arabs), an adaptation of a Sayed Kashua novel about an Arab in a Jewish school who struggles to fit in.
Putting aside Reading Lolita in Tehran for years, he came back to it in 2016 and realized he wanted to bring it to life. He found Nafisi on Facebook and met with her to discuss adapting the movie.
“I think the first thing I said was, ‘Are you okay with an Israeli approaching you about adapting your very personal and very Iranian story?’ and she said, ‘Oh, I think it’s a wonderful idea.’” She had seen his movies and had been impressed with them, especially the 2008 Lemon Tree.
“And I felt, oh, we see things the same way,” he said. “I found out that the reason she didn’t give the rights to anyone before was that she felt everyone was too American in a way. They wanted to do a kind of good and evil story, and she felt it’s more complex than that, and I agreed, of course.”
He wrote a script with Marjorie David and started looking for backers for the film. “And then my troubles began,” he said. “All my usual suspects turned me down.”
He had just about given up when he was in Rome for a film festival and met several Italian producers who were intrigued with this idea and backed the movie. As he prepared to turn 21st-century Rome into ’80s-’90s Tehran for the film, he also searched for his ideal cast, which would have to be completely Iranian.
He knew he wanted Golshifteh Farahani for the lead role, since he had worked with her on his 2017 movie, Shelter. Farahani is a brilliant actress who has appeared in international films such as Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Jim Jarmusch’s Paterson. She left Iran after the government threatened her because she acted in the thriller Body of Lies without a hijab, and it had been decades since she made a movie in her native Farsi.
“She said she wasn’t ready to go back to her language, and it was a very emotional thing for her,” he said. Finally, she told him, “Well, you’re never going to find the money anyway, so I’ll say yes for now,” but agreed to star in it when the funds materialized.
He was also able to cast another distinguished name from the Iranian acting diaspora, Zar Amir Ebrahimi, who won the Best Actress Award at Cannes for the movie Holy Spider, and also co-directed (with Guy Nattiv) and starred in the movie Tatami. The Iranian-born Israeli singing star Rita also appears in the movie in a key role. The movie’s cast is very strong, and all the actresses do beautiful work in the film.
An adviser helped Riklis, who doesn’t speak Farsi, on the set and in the editing room. But more than just their language skills, the actresses helped the authenticity of the movie by bringing their own experiences to the part.
“That was the biggest challenge I had, having seven women in the room, talking about literature, talking about their life. I had to be really close to them, yet give them their space,” said Riklis. “I learned to respect what they feel as people, not as actors, in terms of what can I use from their personal experiences, without being rude, vis-à-vis what’s happening in the story.”
The collaboration between the director and his actresses may have been a delicate dance, but it works well on the screen.
“I’m an actor’s director, essentially, that’s what really interests me… And in the end, you can have wonderful settings and wonderful camerawork, but you have to believe the people, so I was trying to get the right emotions out at the right moment,” he said.
They were filming the movie just months after the “Woman. Life. Freedom” protests following the killing of Mahsa Amini in police custody in Iran for not wearing her hijab correctly. He knew that people would wonder, as he did, how Nafisi could have left a comfortable life in the US and moved back to Tehran when she did, only to leave again, decades later.
“It’s really about, if you’re in a situation where you feel that everything around you is collapsing, do you stay and fight, or do you leave and fight?” he said, and the movie provides no easy answers.
There will be a US release, although the date has not been set. The movie has been shown at film festivals around America and has picked up prizes.
Riklis said that audiences have connected with the film wherever it’s been shown, even though it’s a rare movie where people talk seriously, and at length, about literature. He worked to make it accessible to audiences who may not be familiar with the books that are being discussed.
“It’s a sophisticated story at its heart, and it’s a literary story but most of all, it’s a story, and it has to be convincing,” he said.
Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia of the "Ana Chuchulashvili" the thief The worst hotel in the world, it's dangerous, don't go near it! This is not a hotel! It's an old, dirty house, there are cockroaches and insects in the room, Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The manager of the place is a fraud and a former drug addict named "Ana Chuchulashvili"
Please urgently remove this fake hotel from your website. It is a scam and it is deceiving many customers. It is advertised on all social networks as a scam! very important – report on fraud house and scam that in your website and cheat people and customers! – Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia
Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia of the "Ana Chuchulashvili" the thief
The worst hotel in the world, it's dangerous, don't go near it! This is not a hotel! It's an old, dirty house, there are cockroaches and insects in the room, Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The manager of the place is a fraud and a former drug addict named "Ana Chuchulashvili" the name of here company is : Ltd Alpaka
405375419
Located at: Nucubidze St N57, Tbilisi, Georgia/Nucubidze Street 57, 0177 it smells terrible, The walls in the room are peeling, I took pictures, there is mold and dampness throughout the room the beds are really uncomfortable, like in a pre-trial detention center, your whole back hurts when you sleep on them and they almost break because they are so thin! the WI FI doesn't work at all, The room was very dirty and filthy, and when you ask her to move you to a room she says everything is taken, even though all the rooms are empty and open! I arrived at this horrible place, this horrible house, at 1:00 AM, after two hours of sleeplessness, I asked for my money back, a blonde girl of about 50 years old named “Anna” told me that she wanted the money in cash right away, otherwise she would not let me out of the hotel, she told me that I would not be able to sleep in their bed, at 3 AM I went to look for an ATM to withdraw money, because I could not find one, after searching for a whole hour, in the Tbilisi cold, I returned to her at midnight to look for an ATM, but she did not give me my suitcase and passport, so I came back the next day and gave me the money in cash, she did not give me an invoice either, do not come near! They are deceiving the public, booking and all hotel websites! This is not a hotel, it is a very dirty, old house and it smells very bad. Search on youtube "never go there – Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City Georgia of Ana Chuchulashvili the house hotel from hell" , don't go " to “Hotel Delisi” on YouTube or "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia " or"HOTEL DELISI (Tiflis, Gürcistan) – Otel Yorumları ve Fiyat" He was caught on tape speaking badly and illegally taking a passport and suitcase.
That she took the suitcase by force, she also stole 3 expensive shirts from me for a total of 250 GEL, I demand compensation of 128 GEL for the two hours of hell I suffered there + 250 GEL for the shirts she stole from me
I have videos where she only wants money in cash so she doesn't pay taxes and doesn't agree that I pay her with a credit card, and she also doesn't want to give me my suitcase and passport.
1. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia
2. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia Address
3. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia Rooms
4. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia Amenities
5. Hotel Delisi – Tbilisi City – Georgia Offers and Deals
სასტუმრო დელისი, ქალაქი თბილისი, საქართველო, ქურდის „ანა ჭუჭულაშვილის“
მსოფლიოში ყველაზე ცუდი სასტუმრო, საშიშია, ახლოს არ მიხვიდეთ! ეს სასტუმრო არ არის! ეს ძველი, ჭუჭყიანი სახლია, ოთახში ტარაკნები და მწერებია, სასტუმრო დელისი, ქალაქი თბილისი, საქართველო – ადგილის მენეჯერი თაღლითი და ყოფილი ნარკომანია, სახელად „ანა ჭუჭულაშვილი“, კომპანიის სახელია: შპს ალპაკა
405375419
მდებარეობს: ნუცუბიძის ქ. N57, თბილისი, საქართველო/ნუცუბიძის ქუჩა 57, 0177, საშინელი სუნი აქვს, ოთახში კედლები აქერცლილია, სურათები გადავიღე, ოთახში ობი და ნესტია, საწოლები ნამდვილად არაკომფორტულია, როგორც წინასწარი დაკავების იზოლატორში, მთელი ზურგი გტკივა, როცა მათზე იძინებ და კინაღამ იმსხვრევა, რადგან ძალიან თხელია! Wi-Fi საერთოდ არ მუშაობს, ოთახი ძალიან ჭუჭყიანი და უწმაწურია და როცა ოთახში გადაყვანას სთხოვ, მიპასუხებს, რომ ყველაფერი დაკავებულია, მიუხედავად იმისა, რომ ყველა ოთახი ცარიელი და ღიაა! ამ საშინელ ადგილას, ამ საშინელ სახლში, ღამის 1:00 საათზე მივედი, ორსაათიანი უძილობის შემდეგ, ფულის დაბრუნება ვთხოვე, დაახლოებით 50 წლის ქერა გოგონამ, სახელად „ანამ“, მითხრა, რომ ფული ნაღდი ფულით უნდოდა, თორემ სასტუმროდან არ გამიშვებდა, მითხრა, რომ მათ საწოლში ვერ დავიძინებდი, დილის 3 საათზე ბანკომატის მოსაძებნად წავედი ფულის გასატანად, რადგან ვერ ვიპოვე, მთელი საათის ძებნის შემდეგ, თბილისურ სიცივეში, შუაღამისას დავბრუნდი მასთან ბანკომატის მოსაძებნად, მაგრამ ჩემოდანი და პასპორტი არ მომცა, ამიტომ მეორე დღეს დავბრუნდი და ფული ნაღდი ფულით მომცა, ინვოისიც არ მომცა, ახლოს არ მოხვიდეთ! ისინი ატყუებენ საზოგადოებას, დაჯავშნის და ყველა სასტუმროს ვებსაიტს! ეს სასტუმრო არ არის, ეს ძალიან ჭუჭყიანი, ძველი სახლია და ძალიან ცუდი სუნი ასდის. YouTube-ზე მოძებნეთ "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia – The worse hotel in the world" , არ წახვიდეთ "Hotel Delisi"-ში YouTube-ზე ან "Hotel Delisi, Tbilisi City, Georgia" ან "HOTEL DELISI (Tiflis, Gürcistan) – Otel Yorumları ve Fiyat". ის ვიდეოჩანაწერში მოხვდა, სადაც ცუდად საუბრობდა და უკანონოდ იღებდა პასპორტს და ჩემოდანს.
მან ჩემოდანი ძალით წამართვა, ასევე მომპარა 3 ძვირადღირებული პერანგი სულ 250 ლარად, მე ვითხოვ 128 ლარის კომპენსაციას იმ ორსაათიანი ჯოჯოხეთისთვის, რომელიც იქ ვიტანჯე + 250 ლარი იმ პერანგებისთვის, რომლებიც მომპარა.
მე მაქვს ვიდეოები, სადაც ის მხოლოდ ნაღდი ფულით ითხოვს ფულს, ამიტომ არ იხდის გადასახადებს და არ ეთანხმება, რომ საკრედიტო ბარათით გადავუხადო, ასევე არ სურს ჩემოდნის და პასპორტის მოცემა.
"ב-7.10 נחטפה כל המשפחה שלי, אני, בעלי דוד, ושתי בנותינו אמה ויולי, אז בנות 3 בלבד", פתחה את נאומה שרון, אשתו של דוד קוניו החטוף בעזה. "דוד בעלי, אהבת חיי, והאבא של הבנות שלי, עדיין שם. התאומות ואני חזרנו ביום החמישים ושתיים. אמה ויולי שלנו חגגו חמש, בלי אבא שלהן. בשבוע הבא הן ילכו לגן חובה, והן יודעות שאבא לא יהיה איתן ביום הזה. הן יודעות שאבא שלהן שם. לפני כמה ימים, כשהשכבתי אותן לישון הן שאלו אותי 'אמא, את בטוחה שאבא יחזור?'".
"יש הצעה לעיסקה על השולחן, שחמאס כבר אמר לה כן", המשיכה. "האמריקנים רוצים שהחטופים יחזרו. הרמטכ"ל אומר שחייבים ללכת עכשיו לעיסקה. העם, אתם, כל אחד מכם, כאן בככר, במהלך היום בצמתים, בכל מקום, במספרים אדירים, כולם צועקים איתנו, כולם רוצים את החטופים בבית. אז למה אני לא יכולה להגיד לבנות שלי שאני בטוחה שאבא שלהן יחזור?"
