agmtw logo
search
Fifi Howls from Happiness (2014)

Fifi Howls from Happiness (2014)

Unrated

The unknown story of "Iran's Picasso" rescued moments away from his death

8.2

Movie

France, Iran
Persian
Documentary
2014
FEMALE DIRECTOR, MITRA FARAHANI
96 min

What it's about

Bahman Mohassess was a celebrated artist at the time of the Shah. Trained in Italy, he created sculptures and paintings in his homeland. But audiences often took offence at the pronounced phalli on his mostly naked bronze figures and his work was regularly censored. All traces of him were lost after the revolution. It was said he destroyed his remaining paintings and disappeared.

The take

This incredible documentary is about the elusive Iranian artist Bahman Mohassess, whose work has the uniqueness of a Picasso or a Salvador Dalí.

But unlike his European counterparts, most of Mohassess’ work has been destroyed. Some in the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution in Iran but most, interestingly, by the artist himself.

After the revolution, he went into exile. For 40 years his whereabouts remained unknown — until an Iranian filmmaker based in Paris tracked him in a hotel in Rome.

Very early in the film, director Mitra Farahani points out that Mohassess died half an hour after one of their filming sessions.

The urgency of their conversations, the genius of Mohassess and his relationship to his art, and the uniqueness of the untold story of his life, all make this more than just another documentary. It’s a work of immeasurable historic value.

Comments

This is hands down one of the best films I have ever seen. Having witnessed the Revolution I can easily tell you that what has been spoken in this film is authentic. If you love art as well, your pleasure is doubled.

Add a comment

Your name

Your comment

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

Once Were Warriors (1994)

A Maori family survives in an alienating Auckland in this raw, tragic drama

8.0

Silenced (2011)

A brutal and harrowing exposé of the schoolwide abuse case that sparked outrage in Korea

9.0

The Substance (2024)

Demi Moore swaps bodies in this standout chaotic body dysmorphia horror

8.3

Being Julia (2004)

A middle age crisis leads to a star finding her spark in this insightful comedy

7.1

Look Back (2024)

Art connects people through time and space in this short and sweet drama

9.0

The Guilty (2018)

A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.

9.0

The President (2014)

A dictator and his grandson try to escape the revolution in this bleak, satiric drama

7.3

System Crasher (2019)

A tale of trauma and one of the most talked about movies on Netflix in 2020.

9.0

His Three Daughters (2024)

Three sisters deal with life and death in this moving family portrait

8.2

Emilia Pérez (2024)

Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez return to their roots in this multinational crime musical drama

7.5

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2024 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.