Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi has criticized what he sees as Hollywood’s tendency to portray foreign cultures from an American perspective.
The two-time Oscar-winning director discussed cinema, politics and cultural representation during a panel at the Rio Film Festival in Brazil.
Farhadi is attending the festival to present his latest film, “Parallel Tales.” During the discussion, he addressed Ben Affleck’s “Argo,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture a year after Farhadi’s “A Separation” won Best International Film.
Farhadi said he viewed “Argo” as a typical Hollywood production. He also questioned the recurring narrative in which American characters rescue people in other countries.
According to Farhadi, such stories can create a hierarchy between American society and other cultures. He argued that filmmakers should avoid presenting one culture as superior to another.
The director also discussed his experiences in the United States while researching an earlier project. He recalled meeting incarcerated people from different backgrounds and said the experience offered a different view of American society.
Farhadi connected these ideas to his broader approach to filmmaking. He said filmmakers discuss politics whenever they examine society, even when they focus on family relationships and everyday problems.
However, he prefers to explore political themes indirectly. He cited Abbas Kiarostami’s “Fellow Citizen” as an example of a film that reveals political layers through ordinary life.
Farhadi also stressed cinema’s ability to build empathy. He argued that emotions such as love and hate connect people across different countries and cultures.
Additionally, he said his recent films, “A Hero” and “Parallel Tales,” explore how people see others and how others see them. He also noted the growing influence of social media on these perceptions.
The filmmaker warned audiences to approach media reports carefully. He argued that simplified narratives can shape perceptions of countries and encourage people to accept divisions between “us” and “them.”
Farhadi briefly discussed his next film and confirmed that he will shoot it in Persian. He said the story will not directly address the current war in Iran or the conflict in Palestine.
He also revealed that “Parallel Tales” originally had an American setting. After spending three years writing, researching and casting in the United States, Farhadi decided to move the project in another direction.