The first weekend of Salon Underground in Heidelberg is behind us, and we are still filled with the encounters, conversations, and voices that made this opening so special.
The event kicked off with a screening of “The Mission / Ferestadeh” in the presence of director Parviz Sayyad. Afterward, Sayyad took time to answer questions from the audience and spoke about his work, Iran, exile, censorship, and the responsibility of art in times of political oppression.
This was followed by a panel discussion featuring Jasmin Tabatabai, Niloufar Taghizadeh, Parviz Sayyad, and Frederic Ulferts as moderator. Together, they explored in depth what the film and Sayyad’s artistic journey bring to light: the power of censored art, the experience of displacement and resistance, and the question of how stories live on, even when they are meant to be silenced.
Particularly striking were the excerpts read from the book, in which Sayyad recounts encounters, losses, and the responsibility of independent art. His texts delved right into the question of what it means when cinema must not only tell stories but also remain silent. They made it palpable just how deeply censorship cuts into cultural memory and how necessary it is to create spaces where these experiences can be shared.
We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all our guests. Every voice, every question, and every contribution enriched this evening. This is exactly why Salon Underground was created: as a space for visibility, exchange, and solidarity with artists whose work is shaped by censorship, resistance, and the drive for freedom.
The journey continues: Anyone who would like to experience Parviz Sayyad in person once again will have the opportunity to do so at the upcoming stops—on June 24 at the Odeon Kino Cologne, on June 25 at the Metropol in Düsseldorf, and on July 13 in Frankfurt am Main.
