The Queen and I (film)
Encyclopedia
The Queen and I is a 2008 documentary film about Farah Pahlavi
, the Queen/Empress of Iran. The film was produced and directed by Iranian-Swedish filmmaker Nahid Persson Sarvestani. It was shown at Sundance Film Festival
in 2009, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize.
The film follows the Queen/Empress and the director, a former communist, as they share ideas and concerns about the country they were both forced to leave after the revolution.
and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
and explaining the story of Nahid's childhood, growing up in a poor family where lunch was not a mundane privilege. She explains the downfall of the shah, the rising popularity of Khomeini, and the death of her brother, Rostam, along with how she escaped to Dubai
from Iran, remaining as a fugitive for two years before flying to Sweden
via-fake passport.
After emailing the Empress, Nahid is invited to her home in Paris
. The Empress's secretary, however, soon discovers Nahid's previous involvement in anti-Shah organizations, and the Empress does not feel comfortable giving an interview. Six months later, Nahid sends the Empress all of her thus-done footage, and when the Empress sees Nahid's works do not slander her name, she continues the documentary. Together, the two of them go to all different areas, cafes in Paris where the Empress is stopped by Persian people
who recognize her, to Cairo
, Egypt
where she was welcomed during her exile and where the Shah is buried, and to Washington
. Nahid is also experienced to royalist
parties, still proclaiming the Empress as the Queen and her son, Reza Pahlavi
, as the present Shah. They also attend a gala for the Iranian Children's Foundation. By the end of the film, the Empress and Nahid have formed an unlikely friendship, that of an exiled Queen and a fellow Irani
who fought to rid her of her throne.
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...
, the Queen/Empress of Iran. The film was produced and directed by Iranian-Swedish filmmaker Nahid Persson Sarvestani. It was shown at Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
in 2009, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize.
The film follows the Queen/Empress and the director, a former communist, as they share ideas and concerns about the country they were both forced to leave after the revolution.
Storyline
The film opens by showing the coronation of Farah PahlaviFarah 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...
and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
and explaining the story of Nahid's childhood, growing up in a poor family where lunch was not a mundane privilege. She explains the downfall of the shah, the rising popularity of Khomeini, and the death of her brother, Rostam, along with how she escaped to Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
from Iran, remaining as a fugitive for two years before flying to 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....
via-fake passport.
After emailing the Empress, Nahid is invited to her home in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. The Empress's secretary, however, soon discovers Nahid's previous involvement in anti-Shah organizations, and the Empress does not feel comfortable giving an interview. Six months later, Nahid sends the Empress all of her thus-done footage, and when the Empress sees Nahid's works do not slander her name, she continues the documentary. Together, the two of them go to all different areas, cafes in Paris where the Empress is stopped by Persian people
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
who recognize her, to Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
where she was welcomed during her exile and where the Shah is buried, and to Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. Nahid is also experienced to royalist
Royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of government, but not necessarily a particular monarch...
parties, still proclaiming the Empress as the Queen and her son, Reza Pahlavi
Reza Pahlavi
Reza Pahlavi may refer to:*Reza Shah , aka Reza Shah Pahlavi, Shah of Persia from 1925 until 1935 and Shah of Iran from 1935 until 1941* Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , Shah of Iran from 1941 to 1979, son of Reza Shah...
, as the present Shah. They also attend a gala for the Iranian Children's Foundation. By the end of the film, the Empress and Nahid have formed an unlikely friendship, that of an exiled Queen and a fellow Irani
Iranian peoples
The Iranian peoples are an Indo-European ethnic-linguistic group, consisting of the speakers of Iranian languages, a major branch of the Indo-European language family, as such forming a branch of Indo-European-speaking peoples...
who fought to rid her of her throne.