Archive of films For a Moment Freedom / Ein Augenblick Freiheit

Austria / France
2008, 110 min

Section: Another View
Year: 2009

Ali and Merdad have promised to accompany their two young cousins from Iran to be with their parents in Austria. While the refugees wait in the Turkish city of Ankara for Austrian visas, they share the fate of other illegal immigrants. This tragicomic mosaic about people searching for a better life is an autobiographical work from debuting feature director Arash T. Riahi.

Synopsis

Two young Iranian men, Ali and Merdad, have promised to escort their young cousins, seven-year-old Asy and five-year-old Arman, from Iran to Austria where their parents are waiting for them. While the refugees wait in the Turkish city of Ankara for Austrian visas, they share the fate of other illegal immigrants. These include a family fleeing from political persecution, an Iranian teacher, and a young Kurd who retains his sense of humor even at the toughest of moments.... "I wanted to make a universal film about people trying to find a better life elsewhere, either for political or for humanistic reasons,” remarks debuting director Arash T. Riahi, who employed autobiographical themes in his film. At age nine, he and his parents emigrated from Iran to Austria. The other elements of this tragicomic movie were also inspired by true events experienced by the director’s fellow countrymen during their search for a better life in Europe.

About the director

Arash T. Riahi (b. 1972) was born in Iran but moved to Austria in 1982. He studied film and art, and in 1995-2002 he worked at Austria’s ORF public television station. In 1997 he founded the film and media production company Golden Girls Filmproduktion. He debuted with the feature-length documentary The Souvenirs of Mr. X (Die Souvenirs des Herrn X, 2004 – Silver Plaque for Best Documentary at the Chicago IFF, screened in the documentary competition at the Karlovy Vary IFF). His second documentary Exile Family Movie (2006) took numerous international awards (FIPRESCI Prize and the Golden Dove Award at the Leipzig IFF, Best Documentary at the Max Ophüls Festival, Silver Hugo for Best Documentary at the Chicago IFF).

Contacts

Les Films du Losange
22, Avenue Pierre ler de Serbie, 750 16, Paris
France
Tel: +33 144 438 724
www: www.filmsdulosange.fr

Asociace českých filmových klubů
Stonky 860, 686 01, Uherské Hradiště
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 572 501 989
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.acfk.cz

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About the film

Color, 35 mm

Section:	Another View

Director:	Arash T. Riahi
Screenplay:	Arash T. Riahi
Dir. of Photography:	Michi Riebl
Music:	Karuan
Editor:	Karina Ressler
Producer:	Veit Heiduschka, Michael Katz, Margaret Menegoz
Production:	Wega Film
Cast:	Navid Akhavan, Pourya Mahyari, Kamran Rad, Payam Madjlessi, Behi Djanati-Atai, Elika Bozorgi
Contact:	Les Films du Losange, Asociace českých filmových klubů
Distributor:	Asociace českých filmových klubů

www:	www.foramomentfreedom.com

Guests

Payam Madjlessi

Actor