A Pigeon Sat on a Branch

Swedish filmmaker Roy Andersson makes a brilliant film,  A Pigeon Sat on a Branch

"Persophila: Persian Culture on the Global Scene"

"How did Iranians respond when they saw themselves reflected in Westernmirrors? Expanding on Jürgen Habermas’s theory of the public sphere, and overcoming the limits of Edward Said, Hamid Dabashi answers this critical question by tracing the formation of a civic discursive space in Iran, seeing it as a prime example of a modern nation-state emerging from an ancient civilization in the context of European colonialism. The modern Iranian public sphere, Dabashi argues, cannot be understood apart from this dynamic interaction."




Watch a magnificent short video introducing Hamid Dabashi’s forthcoming book: "Persophila: Persian Culture on the Global Scene"
 

My Name is Inanna at Evanston Library

Our reading performance of "My Name is Inanna" was well received yesterday by the audience at Evanston Library. Singer/actress Julia Hawkins and composer/pianist Michael Evans were remarkable with Nina Simone’s "Ain't Got No (I Got Life)", Elvis Presley’s “I Can’t Help Falling in Love With you” and Schubert’s "Ständchen".

My special appreciation and thanks to Mehrnaz Saeed-Vafa, the brilliant filmmaker for filming and photographing our show.

 

"There's something I've got,

nobody can take it away...."

Evanston Library

 

 

Michael, Julia and I

Happiness

It took me a lifetime to find out that I shouldn't search for happiness. Happiness is just next to me!

I