Ep849: IndieSeen: NO BEARS (2022)

In one of this series' timeliest episodes ever, Ian and Sujewa discuss Jafar Panahi's wildly dangerous film, No Bears!

Panahi plays a version of himself, an exiled filmmaker who secretly shoots a movie by directing his actors and crew from a remote village in which he's hiding out. Things get complicated when, during his off-hours wanderings, he photographs a young couple who are having an affair. The villagers demand that Panahi hand over the evidence, which ignites a cultural and religious firestorm in the community. On top of that, the actors in Panahi's film run into troubles of their own.

That's a surface reading of the plot, which spirals deeper into the realities of the actors, characters, and production team. In fact it wasn't until last week that the movie truly concluded--with Panahi's real-world hunger strike in an Iranian prison, and his subsequent release (he'd been locked up since July 2022 for protesting and making "anti-government propaganda films").

Ian and Sujewa get into all of this and more while reviewing one of last year's very best movies.

Also, Sujewa teases his newest venture, a series of L.A. screenings spotlighting independent films, called "Indie Discovery L.A."--and the guys make plans to cover a documentary about arthouse theatres called, Only in Theaters!

Timestamps:

Intro: 0:00 - 1:25

What's New with Sujewa? 1:26 - 9:30

No Bears Review: 9:31 - 48:19

Outro: 48:20 - 50:56

Show Links:

Watch the No Bears trailer.

Read the BBC's reporting on Panahi's release.

Learn more about Sujewa's upcoming series, "Indie Discovery L.A."

Rent Sujewa's new movie, The Secret Society for Slow Romance.

Find clips, making-of videos, and other cool info about Sujewa's upcoming film, The Secret Society for Slow Romance.

Follow the production of Sujewa's Slow Romance sequel, Cosmic Disco Rene.

Keep up with all of Sujewa's projects.

Follow Sujewa on Twitter.

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