Iranian cinema is celebrated worldwide.
Rich, poetic, visually stunning.
We were raised in a storytelling culture.
Our grandmothers, our mothers, our fathers.
I was raised during the Iran-Iraq war.
So even the sirens, even the bombs,
they all had stories behind it so that the children don't get traumatized.
But behind the artistry, filmmakers work under restrictions that shape every frame.
You can have two different people watch these films and arrive at completely different conclusions
because the messaging is really hidden.
They can't overtly tell the story that they want to tell or say what they want to say.
And despite worldwide censorship,
Iranian filmmakers craft some of the most daring and powerful films in the world.
Restriction and limitation make filmmaking thrive.
I believe they give it an oomph.
This is the documentary, The Riddle of Iranian Cinema, from the BBC World Service.
Hi, I'm Maryam Keshavar.
I'm a filmmaker and storyteller.
Born in New York, but shaped by Iran.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, my world changed.