Review: "No Bears" is new on VOD

by Cláudio Alves

One of 2022's most essential films, a title that will probably continue to accrue power in retrospect, is now available on VOD. It's none other than No Bears, Jafar Panahi's latest feat of illicitly-made cinema, premiered in Venice just as the director faced another period behind bars. He's since been released after announcing a hunger strike in protest. As with all of Panahi's creations since the 2010 sentence that resulted in a 20-year ban on moviemaking as decreed by the Islamic Revolutionary Court, it's challenging to approach No Bears as just another film. Well, that's logical since it's not just another film...

Click to read more ...

AFI Fest: Jafar Panahi’s stark portrait of Iran in “No Bears”

by Eurocheese

Director/Writer Jafar Panahi is currently sitting in an Iranian prison cell. By way of introduction at the AFI Fest, currently taking place in Los Angeles, our audience was reminded of this. That's not all. We were also informed that he has told his wife that this prison stay has been his most difficult – a shocking statement considering his arrest in 2010 led to him to a hunger strike. This set the backdrop perfectly, as the film portrays Panahi’s take on the current state of affairs in his country. 

Within the first few minutes, the fourth wall is broken as we learn Panahi (playing himself) is using a stand-in director to film his new feature, presumably because he is not allowed to direct himself. Meanwhile, he is staying close to his cast and crew in a small town close to Iran's border for a few days...

Click to read more ...