Documentary produced and directed by Dr. Behnaz Mirzai. Born and raised in Iran, Mirzai moved to Canada in 1997, where she studied slavery and the African Diaspora in Iran. Since then, she has conducted extensive research in European and Iranian archives, fieldwork and interviews in Iran, and published numerous academic articles resulting in this documentary.

The movie explores the history of the African slave trade as well as African cultural tradition in Iran, and pays particular attention to socio-economic activities, performances and rituals of the descendants of African slaves in rural and urban communities in the provinces of Sistan va Baluchistan, Hurmuzgan, and Khuzestan. Mirzai's aim was to visualize the lives of Afro-Iranians, who were widely scattered throughout southern regions along the Persian Gulf, and at the same time could preserve and blend African cultural heritage with local religious and traditional elements. By producing this documentary, she intended to demonstrate both the diversity of Iranian society as well as the reconstruction of a new identity of African communities in Iran.

by Dr. Behnaz A. Mirzai
(English, colour, 2007, 45 min)

"A fascinating documentary on a fascinating subject. Afro-Iranian culture has been largely neglected by both black diasporic studies and Middle Eastern studies, but no longer. Behnaz Mirzai's film explains the historical background of Afro-Iranian culture, originally a legacy of the slave trade, and then proceeds to show us some of its intimate and personal aspects, including the startling zar possession ceremonies."
-Dr. Barry Keith Grant, Professor of Film Studies and Popular Culture, Brock University

DVD:
Personal use only: $200
Institutional Use : $290

This documentary explores the African Diaspora and African cultural heritage in Iran.
The first part of the DVD is a historical survey of the trade in enslaved Africans in the nineteenth century using maps and archival photos.
Then it shows current Afro-Iranian communities in various rural and urban areas of Baluchistan, Hurmozgan, and Khuzestan.
The second part of the film focuses on the rituals such as Zar, Liwa, and Gwat practiced by Iranians of African descent, including interviews about African traditions and spirit possessions in Iran.
It concludes with footage of music, musical instruments and dances of Afro-Iranians in the south.


To place an order, please contact: afroiranianfilm@yahoo.ca