Release Date – TBC, Cert – TBC, Run-time – 1 hour 20 minutes, Director – Ehsan Khoshbakht
Ehsan Khoshbakht takes a personal lookback at the underground cinema culture during his days in Iran, and the people who helped keep film alive.
Celluloid Underground is a personal love letter from director Ehsan Khoshbakht not just celluloid and cinema but to projector and projectionist. Over 80 minutes he takes a dive into his memories of the underground cinema culture during his days in Iran, how film was kept alive against a government erasing it. Film began acting as both an escape and act of resistance, even when any frame containing any resemblance of a kiss was removed.
“Film, when projected, they were glamour and dream” says Khoshbakht in his calm voiceover. A belief agreed upon by friend and film collector Ahmad. Ahmad’s collection of celluloid reels and cinema and projection related items provide a good deal for the director to call back to with enough of a link to make this feel like not just a scattered set of memories. While it might not stop things from occasionally feeling like the film is more showing and telling rather than landing a proper effect.
This feeling particularly arrives in the final 15-20 minutes where as things near wrapping up and catching up to today the film feels as if it somewhat deviates to other areas. Slightly more about Ehsan and Ahmad, the former moving on and escaping Iran, than the titular celluloid underground culture and the risks faced by it even existing. The final line may be worth it, providing one of the most effective moments in the film, but things feel as if they slow down due to having slightly moved away.
Yet, things are still carried through by Khoshbakht’s passion for cinema, which carries much of the film and helps to move it along, It adds further backing to the fight to keep the medium alive during his time in Iran, and the effect that it can, and does, have on people. Such moments make for the most interesting and engaging points across 80-minutes. The care and passion on display feeling most engaging compared to those moments which feel more show-and-tell. Luckily, there’s enough interest to be found within Celluloid Underground’s short run-time to make it an overall worthwhile love letter to those keeping cinema alive against oppression.
While it might occasionally feel more show-and-tell, and the final stages may deviate from the initial look at underground cinema culture, there’s enough passion from Khoshbakht to create interest across Celluloid Underground’s 80-minute run-time.
Just A Little Bit Random 