TEHRAN – Three Iranian movies are competing in the 38th edition of the Rhode Island International Film Festival, which opened today in the U.S. cities of Providence and Newport. 

“Coup 53” directed by Taqi Amirani is one of the films. 

While making a documentary about the Anglo-American coup in Iran in 1953, Amirani and editor Walter Murch (“Apocalypse Now”, “The Godfather”, “The English Patient”) discover never-seen-before archive material hidden for decades. The 16mm footage and documents not only allow the filmmakers to tell the story of the overthrow of the Iranian government in unprecedented detail, but also lead to explosive revelations about dark British secrets buried for 66 years. 

What begins as a history documentary about 4 days in August 1953 turns into a live investigation, taking the filmmakers into uncharted cinematic waters. “Coup 53” is Amirani’s debut feature. 

The film has been screened at numerous international events and received honors, including the award for best international documentary at Vancouver IFF.

“Untimely” directed by Puya Eshtehardi and “Termites” by Masud Hatami have also been selected to be screened at the event, which will be running until August 9.

“Untimely” tells the story of Hamin, a young private who is doing his military service in a watchtower on the borderline of Iran and Pakistan. Impatient for a day off to attend his sister’s wedding ceremony, he gets into a fight with his commander. Up in the watchtower, Hamin reviews the past years and the things that happened to him and his sister since their childhood.

In “Termites”, Tara and Payman, a young married couple who have recently begun their life together, are traveling to their hometown to sell their old estate. They are actors and actresses of a narrative, in which the edge of reality is confused, and fiction is interwoven in reality. During their journey, decisions, secrets and lies leave them with a different understanding of themselves and their surroundings. Their narrative is the story of a decision to survive or lose. During the journey, the past, the present and the future haunt everyone, even its recorders.

“Termites” was crowned best film at the Figueira da Foz International Film Festival in Portugal last September.

The Rhode Island festival was founded by George T. Marshall, the founder of the Flickers Arts Collaborative. Flickers organizes the event in collaboration with several other institutes.

Photo: This combination photo shows scenes from the movies “Coup 53”, “Termites” and “Untimely”.

MMS/YAW