Hayedeh Legendary Persian Diva
Encyclopedia
"Hayedeh Legendary Persian Diva" (Persian
: سخن از هایده / Sokhan az Hayedeh) is a 2009 documentary film
about the late Iran
ian iconic singer Hayedeh
, made by the exiled musician and journalist Pejman Akbarzadeh
in The Netherlands.
The 100-min. documentary was filmed in France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and USA. The language of the film is Persian
with English
subtitles.
Hayedeh documentary was released on 20 January, 2010, the 20th death anniversary of Hayedeh. The DVD was released by Persian Dutch Network in Amsterdam.
and ending in 1990 in California
.
Hayedeh Legendary Persian Diva looks at Hayedeh's career against the backdrop of political and social upheaval in Persia as the nation went from monarchy
to revolution to protracted war
that forced many of its best and brightest into exile. In one of the first frames of the documentary, the director writes:
"Since the 1979 revolution in Persia (Iran
), which brought a fundamentalist religious government to power, women have not been allowed to sing in public. All Persian women singers were forced to end their careers and many of them moved abroad to sing. Hayedeh (1942-1990) was one of those who fled Iran."
Hayedeh Legendary Persian Diva includes rare videos, audio clips, photos, and original interviews with the main figures of her career: the songwriters Andranik, Mohammad Heydari
, Anooshirvan Rohani, Farid Zoland, Sadegh Nojouki
, producer Manouchehr Bibiyan, conductor Farnoush Behzad, music critic Mahmoud Khoshnam
, tar soloist Parviz Rahman-Panah, and the last Persian queen Farah Pahlavi
.
Archival interviews of the lyricist Leila Kasra
(Hedieh), singers Mahasti
, Moein
, Martik, and cinema actor Parviz Sayyad have been used to the film as well.
The documentary has been dedicated to the memory of Amir Zamanifar, a close friend of Pejman Akbarzadeh and Radio Farda
's correspondent in Prague
who was killed in a car crash in 2009.
Vrije Universiteit
. The event was organized on the occasion of 19th Anniversary of Hayedeh's death in exile. Holland's Persian community
and US-/Europe-based Persian-language media warmly received the event. Before the screening, Voice of America
's Persian TV, BBC Persian
Radio, Radio Farda
, etc. interviewed the director and broadcast the trailer.
In April 2009 the documentary was screened in an event organized by Rahaward Cultural Center in Aachen
. In the German city some leftist Persian immigrants boycotted the event. Deutsche Welle
correspondent wrote: "About 25 people were present for viewing the film, which was a source of bewilderment and disenchantment of the filmmaker and organizers of the event."
Hayedeh, Legendary Persian Diva had its sold-out US premiere at the 3rd Noor Film Festival in Los Angeles on May 1, 2009. After the screening, Persian-American Hollywood director Reza Badiyi
, in an interview with Homa Sarshar on Radio 670 KIRN, described itt as a "Chapter on the beauties of Hayedeh life".
The documentary was also nominated as the "best documentary" at Noor Film Festival but according to BBC Persian TV's Aslan Hafezi: "Presentation of unveiled information in the film caused the objections of some of Hayedeh’s relations and fans."
Hayedeh, Legendary Persian Diva was also screened at the 9th International Exile Film Festival in Gothenburg
, Sweden
in October 2009. Following the sold-out screening at Hagabion Hall and in a review for BBC Persian website, Hooman Khalatbari, a Graz
-based opera conductor, wrote: "this is the first Persian documentary which covers all aspects of a singer's career and almost all important figures in the singer's artistic activity are present there". The opera conductor also wrote: "I believe Hayedeh's work will remain as a cultural memento for the next Persian generations".
Hayedeh, Legendary Persian Diva was also screened in December 2009 at the 4th Iranian Film Festival
in Zaandam
, Holland. The announcement of the screening was published in the national Dutch newspaper Volkskrant.
The documentary was screened at the 8th International Festival of Iranian Cinema in Exile in Paris in April 2010 and will also be presented at the Iranian Festival in Seattle in June 2010.
In May 2010 the leftist Israeli
newspaper Haaretz
published a comprehensive article about the film by Noam Ben-Zeev
, a professor at University of Haifa
.
in Tehran criticized Pejman Akbarzadeh for making a film about the "corrupt monarchist singer, Hayedeh".
Foundation in Amsterdam
, Miec Marketing B.V. in The Hague
and Soudavar Memorial Foundation in Geneva
, Switzerland
.
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
: سخن از هایده / Sokhan az Hayedeh) is a 2009 documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about the late Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian iconic singer Hayedeh
Hayedeh
Hayedeh born Ma'soumeh Dadehbala , was a Persian classical and Pop singer with a contralto vocal range. In a career spanning more than 20 years, she had many hits...
, made by the exiled musician and journalist Pejman Akbarzadeh
Pejman Akbarzadeh
Pejman Akbarzadeh is an Iranian musician, researcher, journalist and radio producer.- Early life :Born in Shiraz in 1980, Akbarzadeh had his first music lessons at the age of nine from Gholam Loghmani and later from Bahram Nasrollahi...
in The Netherlands.
The 100-min. documentary was filmed in France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and USA. The language of the film is Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
with English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
subtitles.
Hayedeh documentary was released on 20 January, 2010, the 20th death anniversary of Hayedeh. The DVD was released by Persian Dutch Network in Amsterdam.
Content
Hayedeh Legendary Persian Diva contains an extensive review of the singers's artistic activities beginning in the late 1960s at Radio TehranTehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
and ending in 1990 in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Hayedeh Legendary Persian Diva looks at Hayedeh's career against the backdrop of political and social upheaval in Persia as the nation went from monarchy
Pahlavi dynasty
The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi (reg. 1925–1941) and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty ...
to revolution to protracted war
Iran-Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between the armed forces of Iraq and Iran, lasting from September 1980 to August 1988, making it the longest conventional war of the twentieth century...
that forced many of its best and brightest into exile. In one of the first frames of the documentary, the director writes:
"Since the 1979 revolution in Persia (Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
), which brought a fundamentalist religious government to power, women have not been allowed to sing in public. All Persian women singers were forced to end their careers and many of them moved abroad to sing. Hayedeh (1942-1990) was one of those who fled Iran."
Hayedeh Legendary Persian Diva includes rare videos, audio clips, photos, and original interviews with the main figures of her career: the songwriters Andranik, Mohammad Heydari
Mohammad Heydari
-Career:He received santur lessons first from Hossein Saba and, after his death, from Abolhassan Saba. He also worked with Abdollah Davami and Haj Agha Mohammad Irani-Mojarrad....
, Anooshirvan Rohani, Farid Zoland, Sadegh Nojouki
Sadegh Nojouki
Sadegh Nojouki is a famous Iranian composer, songwriter and arranger. He has composed and arranged some of the most popular songs before and after the Iranian revolution. He introduced a new style into Iranian music, successfully merging traditional and pop instruments...
, producer Manouchehr Bibiyan, conductor Farnoush Behzad, music critic Mahmoud Khoshnam
Mahmoud Khoshnam
Mahmoud Khoshnam born in Tehran in 1935) is a Persian music critic. He was the editor of Music Review magazine in the years 1960-1963.He studied political sciences at the University of Tehran and continued his studies in sociology in Germany and Austria....
, tar soloist Parviz Rahman-Panah, and the last Persian queen Farah Pahlavi
Farah Pahlavi
Farah Pahlavi is the former Queen and Empress of Iran. She is the widow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, and only Empress of modern Iran...
.
Archival interviews of the lyricist Leila Kasra
Leila Kasra
Leila Kasra also known as Hadieh or Hedieh , was a legendary Persian poet, writer and lyricist who wrote many hits for many famous Persian artists like Ebi, Dariush, Sattar, Vigen, Moein, Mahasti, Andy, Homeyra, Hassan Shamaizadeh, Siavash Shams, Shohreh, Shahram Solati, Nooshafarin, Habib,...
(Hedieh), singers Mahasti
Mahasti
Mahasti bornEftekhar Dadehbala was a legendary Persian Pop and classical singer and diva and the younger sister of singer Hayedeh.- Background :...
, Moein
Moein
Nasrollah Moein known as Moein is an Iranian singer known for his love songs. Born in 1951 in Najaf Abad in Esfahan, he has played lots of concerts across the world...
, Martik, and cinema actor Parviz Sayyad have been used to the film as well.
The documentary has been dedicated to the memory of Amir Zamanifar, a close friend of Pejman Akbarzadeh and Radio Farda
Radio Farda
Radio Farda is the Iranian Branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's broadcast services. It broadcasts 24 hours a day in the Persian language from its headquarters Prague, Czech Republic. Radio Farda first aired December 2002. Radio Farda broadcasts political, cultural, social, and art news...
's correspondent in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
who was killed in a car crash in 2009.
Reception
Hayedeh, Legendary Persian Diva for the first time was screened on January 24, 2009 at Griffioen Cultural Center, associated to AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
Vrije Universiteit
Vrije Universiteit
The Vrije Universiteit is a university in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch name is often abbreviated as VU and in English the university uses the name "VU University". The university is located on a compact urban campus in the southern part of Amsterdam in the Buitenveldert district...
. The event was organized on the occasion of 19th Anniversary of Hayedeh's death in exile. Holland's Persian community
Iranians in the Netherlands
Iranians in the Netherlands form one of the newer and larger populations of Iranians in Europe.-Terminology:Iranians/Persians in the Netherlands are sometimes referred to by hyphenated terms such as "Dutch-Iranians", "Iranian-Dutch", "Dutch-Persian", or "Persian-Dutch"...
and US-/Europe-based Persian-language media warmly received the event. Before the screening, Voice of America
Voice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
's Persian TV, BBC Persian
BBC Persian
BBC Persian is the Persian language radio station and TV operated by the BBC which conveys the latest political, social, economical and sport news relevant to Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, and the world. Its headquarters are in London, United Kingdom...
Radio, Radio Farda
Radio Farda
Radio Farda is the Iranian Branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's broadcast services. It broadcasts 24 hours a day in the Persian language from its headquarters Prague, Czech Republic. Radio Farda first aired December 2002. Radio Farda broadcasts political, cultural, social, and art news...
, etc. interviewed the director and broadcast the trailer.
In April 2009 the documentary was screened in an event organized by Rahaward Cultural Center in Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
. In the German city some leftist Persian immigrants boycotted the event. Deutsche Welle
Deutsche Welle
Deutsche Welle or DW, is Germany's international broadcaster. The service is aimed at the overseas market. It broadcasts news and information on shortwave, Internet and satellite radio on 98.7 DZFE in 30 languages . It has a satellite television service , that is available in four languages, and...
correspondent wrote: "About 25 people were present for viewing the film, which was a source of bewilderment and disenchantment of the filmmaker and organizers of the event."
Hayedeh, Legendary Persian Diva had its sold-out US premiere at the 3rd Noor Film Festival in Los Angeles on May 1, 2009. After the screening, Persian-American Hollywood director Reza Badiyi
Reza Badiyi
Reza Sayed Badiyi was an Iranian-American film director. Badiyi was well known for directing episodes of many popular television series...
, in an interview with Homa Sarshar on Radio 670 KIRN, described itt as a "Chapter on the beauties of Hayedeh life".
The documentary was also nominated as the "best documentary" at Noor Film Festival but according to BBC Persian TV's Aslan Hafezi: "Presentation of unveiled information in the film caused the objections of some of Hayedeh’s relations and fans."
Hayedeh, Legendary Persian Diva was also screened at the 9th International Exile Film Festival in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in October 2009. Following the sold-out screening at Hagabion Hall and in a review for BBC Persian website, Hooman Khalatbari, a Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
-based opera conductor, wrote: "this is the first Persian documentary which covers all aspects of a singer's career and almost all important figures in the singer's artistic activity are present there". The opera conductor also wrote: "I believe Hayedeh's work will remain as a cultural memento for the next Persian generations".
Hayedeh, Legendary Persian Diva was also screened in December 2009 at the 4th Iranian Film Festival
Iranian Film Festival
The Iranian Film Festival is a film festival held annually in the Netherlands. Until now, the festival has taken place in Utrecht , Rotterdam , and in 2009 the festival will take place in filmtheatre De Fabriek in Zaandam....
in Zaandam
Zaandam
Zaandam is a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is the main city of the municipality of Zaanstad, and received city rights in 1811...
, Holland. The announcement of the screening was published in the national Dutch newspaper Volkskrant.
The documentary was screened at the 8th International Festival of Iranian Cinema in Exile in Paris in April 2010 and will also be presented at the Iranian Festival in Seattle in June 2010.
In May 2010 the leftist Israeli
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
newspaper Haaretz
Haaretz
Haaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
published a comprehensive article about the film by Noam Ben-Zeev
Noam Ben-Zeev
Noam Ben-Zeev is an Israeli music critic & journalist, educator and lecturer, active in the music scene in Israel since the beginning of the 1990s.- Music journalism :...
, a professor at University of Haifa
University of Haifa
The University of Haifa is a university in Haifa, Israel.The University of Haifa was founded in 1963 by Haifa mayor Abba Hushi, to operate under the academic auspices of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem....
.
Reaction from Iran's Governmental Media
In September 2009 the semi-official Fars News AgencyFars News Agency
Fars News Agency is a news agency in Iran. While it describes itself as "Iran's leading independent news agency", news organizations such as CNN and Reuters describe it as a "semi-official" news agency with ties to the government...
in Tehran criticized Pejman Akbarzadeh for making a film about the "corrupt monarchist singer, Hayedeh".
Sponsorship
The documentary has been partially supported by Radio ZamanehRadio Zamaneh
Radio Zamaneh is an Amsterdam-based Persian language radio. "Zamaneh" is the Persian literary term for "time".Radio Zamaneh is founding by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs but in content an independent broadcasting organization, registered as a non-profit organization in the Netherlands, with...
Foundation in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Miec Marketing B.V. in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
and Soudavar Memorial Foundation in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
External links
- Hayedeh Documentary Official Website (English/Dutch/Persian)
- The Life Of 'A Legendary Persian Diva' Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (English)
- "Hayedeh...", Pejman Akbarzadeh brings out the legendary singer's world in its full dimensions Iranian.com (English)
- "Speaking of Hayedeh" and a God Given Voice BBC Persian (English version)
- Radio Farda's Amir Zamanifar Interview with Pejman Akbarzadeh Radio Farda (in Persian)
- Documentary Premier at Griffioen Cultural Center, Amsterdam (DutchDutch languageDutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
) - US Premier of HAYEDEH Documentary
- A Diva from Persia: Rise and Fall of Hayedeh by Noam Ben-Zeev, HaaretzHaaretzHaaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
Daily (in Hebrew)