Past Filmmakers

Ramin Bahrani
rbtemp@yahoo.com

1. How did you come up with the idea for the film?

In 1998 I went to Iran for the first time with my parents. We drove across the country visiting the villages of southern Iran where my father was born and raised. Six weeks after our arrival my parents returned to America and I decided to stay. The idea for the film developed during prolonged gazes out the car window on these initial road trips as well as the ones I would take over the next year.

2. How long did the production process take?

The film was shot in six weeks.

3. What challenges did you experience in the creation of the film?

My main actor quit two days before filming began; the actor playing the truck driver didn't know how to drive a car let alone a truck; the first cinematographer quit and sabotaged the camera before he left; one crew member faked a stroke; another threatened to quit daily; two collapsed from heat exhaustion-100 degrees plus; one was taken to the hospital, nearly suffering from a heart attack; the generator broke every five minutes; language and cultural barrier; sound problems; etc., etc., etc.

4. What is your favorite memory from creating the film?

Riding the motorcycle in the last scene; hearing the music for the first time; watching the film with my family at the Festival in Tehran.

5. When someone has finished watching the film, what do you hope they take away from the experience?

A sense of forgiveness between cultures, people and generations. A hope that the youth will follow a path of poetry, dignity and fraternity. A desire to discover your past and yourself.

6. What type of reaction has your film received from viewers?

As with the previous question, I would prefer to ask the viewer…

7. What advice would you give to aspiring young filmmakers?

Read great literature, study history and current politics, watch films from every corner of the world, write daily… and prepare for the worst.

8. Please tell us about the next film you plan to work on?

My next film is radically different from Strangers in terms of story, approach, structure, cinematography, music. The location is entirely urban, Tehran, and focuses on three young characters…

9. What are your thoughts on the film industry in NC?

The kind generous people of North Carolina, as well as it's beautiful and varied landscapes and cityscapes make it a prime location for shooting films. I would encourage anyone interested in making films to consider North Carolina.