The events featuring Iranian actor, director, and screenwriter Parviz Sayyad are now behind us. However, the encounters, conversations, and reflections that arose during the screenings of his film “The Mission / Ferestadeh” continue to resonate.
On behalf of Salon Underground, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Parviz Sayyad for his openness and for the special opportunity to experience and discuss this significant film together with him.
“The Mission” was made back in 1983 and tells the story of a young Iranian man who is sent to the U.S. to kill a dissident living in exile. More than four decades later, the film has lost none of its political and social relevance. It explores the mechanisms of radicalization, political violence, and ideological manipulation, while also addressing the question of how people can become perpetrators under certain circumstances.
On the occasion of the German tour, Parviz Sayyad spoke with the taz about the film’s production, his experiences in exile, and the difficult task of not losing hope despite the political situation in Iran. The interview touches on many of the themes that have also been central to our events: exile and censorship, responsibility and resistance, humor as a form of social criticism, and the power of art in times of political oppression.