Iranian Director Mohsen Gharaei, in Venice With ‘Falling House,’ Set to Shoot ‘Centrifugal Force’

Mohsen Gharaei’s latest film, “Falling House,” is a searing portrayal of life in modern-day Tehran. His upcoming project, “Centrifugal Force,” promises to be an even more profound exploration of displacement and migration – themes increasingly relevant to the Iranian experience.

Gharaei himself knows firsthand the pain of forced migration. He left Iran as an exile after completing his previous film. In a quote published in Variety, he described being “pushed out of the center of your own life” as a heart-wrenching experience that involves not just leaving behind a place but also losing one’s sense of identity and belonging.

The fragility of life in modern-day Iran is a recurring theme in Gharaei’s work. In “Centrifugal Force,” his characters cling to their home as a last resort, only to face the harsh reality that even basic order can be destroyed at any moment. This precarious balance between survival and living is deeply ingrained in Iranian culture.

Gharaei’s project draws parallels with other films exploring migration and displacement, such as Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Babel” and Hou Hsiao-hsien’s “The Warped Screen.” These films capture the raw emotion of leaving behind everything familiar but also highlight the complexities of identity formation in a new environment. Gharaei’s project promises to add its own unique perspective, one rooted in his experiences as an Iranian exile.

“Circumstances can shift without notice,” Gharaei notes in Variety, a phrase that resonates deeply in Iran’s history. “Centrifugal Force” will be shot in Farsi and English with both Iranian and international actors on board. This linguistic and cultural blend reflects the global nature of migration today – a phenomenon that transcends borders and languages.

The production team behind “Centrifugal Force” includes Oscar-winning producer Odessa Rae, who has worked on projects like “Navalny” and “The Voice of Hind Rajab.” Their involvement adds credibility to Gharaei’s ambitious project, which is being shopped at the Venice market as we speak. Will it find a receptive audience? Only time will tell.

Gharaei’s exploration of migration has significant implications for Iranian cinema. It offers an opportunity to delve into the complexities of displacement in all its forms – forced, voluntary, and everything in between. As he observes, “Centrifugal force takes shape, drawing people away from a point to which they have been deeply attached… The further they move from it, the more they are confronted with the question of what truly connected them in the first place.”

This profound observation resonates far beyond Iran’s borders. In an era where migration is becoming increasingly normalized – or perhaps even stigmatized? – Gharaei’s work offers a poignant reminder of the human cost involved. Will his film be able to capture this essence, and translate it into a cinematic experience that truly resonates with audiences worldwide? The world will be watching.