ANORAK Talks...
with Naghmeh Pour
[For those who haven’t seen it, you can watch Naghmeh’s film Nowruz here – which details the age-old Iranian Spring festival of the same name, and its many rituals and traditions centred around renewal and harmony.]
So Naghmeh, what does Nowruz mean to you personally?
Nowruz reminds me of my childhood in Iran with my family and it's just such a beautiful tradition that I love. It has nothing to do with religion as well, it's just about improving yourself each year, being a better person, spreading positivity.
It’s quite interesting that it was released almost exactly one year after Iran-e Man – which just as well celebrated Iranian people and culture, but from a place of pain and struggle – the same one that sparked the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran. What has the reception of Iran-e Man been like from other Iranian people since?
When the film came out, Nowness tagged me in their Instagram post, and the response was out of this world. Every time I logged in, it was a new message, new like, new message. One woman sent me a voice message about how she’s cried watching it 20 times over – it gives me goosebumps thinking about it. People felt seen, which was the most important thing – that Iranian women felt seen and supported in such an important moment.
The response to the film was definitely something I was worried about at first because there’s a lot of opinions in such a tense topic and I wanted to be respectful and treat it with care. I think it just hit the right spot at the right time – a feeling of unity that was much needed. There was so much love, and there still is a year after.
It was an incredibly beautiful debut film and I’m so glad the industry celebrated it so immensely too. How would you compare your approach to each film – what did you take from Iran-e Man that you applied to Nowruz?
First of all, with Iran-e Man, I found out that this is what I want to do - it feels so good to do something about my culture and something personal, because it gives me a space to dive into my roots which is therapeutic for me. And Nowruz was an opportunity to learn even more about a tradition that I used to celebrate as a child.
But yes, Iran-e Man was about my people’s suffering, and Nowruz is about my people’s joy. I wanted to broaden the perspective and humanize people that are so misunderstood, especially in the media. Because that’s what we are. Life loving people that celebrate new year. You know? This film tries to balance out all the negativity by adding a bit of love and positivity into the world by giving a peep into a beautiful tradition.
Which part of the commercial industry are you interested in the most?
I’m still developing my language and voice as a director which is so much fun. I don’t want to limit myself or my creativity. At this stage of my career, I want to do everything! I’m just hungry to dive into projects that feel right to me.
Is there a musical artist out there that you would love to direct a music video for?
Top of my mind, I’d say Kendrick Lamar. The “good kid, m.A.A.d city” album is still one of my favorites ever. I have a veeeery long list of artists I’d like to work with. I’ve grown up watching MTV and I hope music videos will make a big comeback! In Denmark where I’m based, it rarely happens these days, unfortunately.
You’ve said that one of the biggest takeaways for you in filmmaking is simply connecting to people. What’s something you’ve watched recently that’s connected to you?
I recently rewatched “Where’s The Friends House”. We follow a young schoolboy’s search for his friend to return his notebook which the boy took home by mistake. If he doesn’t return it his friend will get into trouble with the teacher. He sets out to find the friend through multiple villages, guided and misguided by the people he meets on his way. There’s always a frustrating element of the adults not really listening to him or answering his question. He gets into a lot of trouble to return this notebook.
It's very touching to see the sense of morality the boy possesses. It’s something that comes from within. Pure good. It’s a must see.
You studied Scriptwriting in Denmark, right? Do you also take inspiration from Danish or Scandinavian cinema in your filmmaking?
I think my work depict the mix of cultures that are part of me. I’ve learned a lot of the craft from the Scandinavian directors I worked with, so I guess that’s part of my language too.
Well, you’ve worked closely with a lot of the directors at Newland Copenhagen as a DA, right? How has that influenced your own approach?
Actually, I’ve worked with all the directors at New Land and I feel very lucky to have done so because I’ve taken small things from all of them.
I’m very structured and I always want a plan A, B, C, D – but what I learned so far is that you’ll never have time enough. I’m practicing being creative on demand. In these moments, I think about the directors from New Land and who have a. more Rock n Roll approach – and just know their shit after so many years in the business, so they can handle anything under pressure. It’s thought me that if you practice your craft, it gets easier to deal with being creative under pressure. It’s basically a muscle you have to build.
So now that you’re your own established director, what is a piece of advice that you would give to your younger self, who was just starting out in the industry?
Trust your gut feeling! It’s something that comes with age, but I would still say that to my younger self. I feel like I’ve been so scared to hear my own voice in meetings with agencies or clients when I was a DA. One female agency producer once told me after a meeting: “You should speak up more. You have some good points.”
That actually made a big impact on me. As a young person entering this industry, or anything else in life basically, you just need some pad on the back every once in a while, too. So, the gut feeling also grows with you having small wins. It’s a practice. Surround yourself with people you trust and respect to give you feedback on your work. That’s essential.
Perfectly put. Well I appreciate all this honest and genuine feedback from you on these questions! To finish up and to honour Nowruz, tell us: what will this new year’s Naghmeh bring about?
I’m definitely going to keep digging into my roots and use this medium as a tool for self-discovery. Right now, I’m writing a short film about my garden. Stay tuned…
I’m very excited to see what this year will bring.
