Spaces of Tradition vs. Spaces of Modernity in Street Cinema of Iranian New Wave: Case Study of The Strait (1973) & The Beehive (1975)

Abstract

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Notes1 It should be noted that for Sobchak, “home” is the equivalent of Bachelard’s “House” whereas in her literature, “house” is not the same with “home” and it lacks the intimacy expected from “home”.2 It is interesting to note how Ashraf herself is a modern individual, in contrast to traditional maternal figure of Ali’s mom. Ashraf can’t have a home whereas Ali’s mom does, that is of course until it is threatened by Ali’s misdeeds.3 We should note that in films like The Strait and The Beehive, any kind of modernization is the direct actualization of modernity, which was perceived to be a western concept; so Shah’s modernization project was equaled with westernization of Iran by the majority of intellectuals of the time (Talattof Citation2011).4 It is with having this point in mind that we can understand characters like Ebi and mr. Hosseini as “traditional.” They engage in activities such as drinking, gambling and visiting brothels which are against traditional Islamic-Iranian values. Nonetheless, they are presented as traditional since they adhere to values such as family and honour. Their traditionality is synthesized with modernity.Additional informationNotes on contributorsAlireza SayyadAlireza Sayyad is an associate professor in the Department of Cinema, the Faculty of Cinema and Theater, University of Art. His interdisciplinary research focused on the relationship between cinema and urban experience, is based on his education in architecture, cinema, and art.Javad NematollahiJavad Nematollahi is a researcher, cinephile, and Ph.D. candidate of art studies at Tarbiat Modares University. He holds MA. in cinema from Tehran university of art. He defended his MA. dissertation titled Manifestation of flâneur of metropolitan area in pre–Islamic Revolution Iranian new wave of cinema. He is interested in studies of modernity and cinema, flanerie and cinema, and has published articles in these fields.