The Upside-down Triangle

The Upside-down Triangle A film by Hossein Rajabian
The upside-down triangle Official Poster
Directed by	Hossein Rajabian
Produced by	Hossein Rajabian
Music by	Shahin Pajoom
Cinematography	Hossein Rajabian
Production company	Barg Film. +Co
Release dates	With a delay 2016
Running time	Variable:72',80',90',106' due to censorship
Country	Iran
Language	Persian- Kurdish English Subtitle

The Upside-down Triangle ( Persian : مثلث واژگون ) is the first feature film by Iranian independent filmmaker Hossein Rajabian. The black-and-white film has been shot and directed by Rajabian – who has been involved in photography for years – using digital cinema technology.^[1] The shooting of the film kicked off in mid-February 2013 and came to an end in early May 2013. Snowfall in Central Alborz in northern Iran and [problems associated with] local arrangements are to blame for the prolongation of the shooting.^[2][3][4]

Cast

Title: The Upside-down Triangle

First Assistant Camera: Ali Abedi

Script Supervisor: Tavalla Bahari

First Assistant Set Designer: Akbar Khalilnejad

First Assistant Director and Planner: Morteza Rastgoo

Music: Shahin Pajoom

Sound Recorders: Mehdi Rajabian, Yousef Emadi

Sound Designer: Mehdi Rajabian

Producer, Designer, Cinematographer, Editor, Scriptwriter and Director: Hossein Rajabian

Produced in the Iranian Independent Cinema^[5]

Synopsis

A man, regretting divorcing his wife, is seeking to win her over again. But the current husband of his former wife is unwilling to divorce her. The husband, who plants traffic signs along a derelict border road, takes his wife along on the assignment to protect her from harassment by her ex-husband. The ex-husband learns about their journey, follows them, and decides to take revenge through legal channels.^[6]

The director’s arrest

The film’s material was all following the arrest of Hossein Rajabian by security forces on October 5, 2013. As a result, The Upside-down Triangle, which was a licensed film, suffered inconsistency and underwent international distribution censorship before being able to be submitted for international film festivals, and public screening in Iran.^[7] The film was never screened and the film crew, including the director, has yet to watch it on the screen. It should be noted that the film’s main material – among them the international band of the film’s final sound – has yet to be given back to the producer Hossein Rajabian. Following his arrest, Rajabian spent two months in solitary confinement in Ward 2-A of Evin prison and was threatened with televised confessions.^[8] He was released on bail (around $66,000) in mid-December, pending trial.^[9] Two years later, his case was heard at Branch 28 of Tehran Revolutionary Court which was presided over by Judge Moghisseh (Summer 2015).^[10][11] He was sentenced to six years in prison for pursuing illegal cinematic activities, launching propaganda against the establishment and hurling insults at sanctities. On appeal, his sentence was reduced to three years imprisonment and three years of suspended jail.^{[12][13][14][15]}

Censorship

The Upside-down Triangle was first reviewed by Iranian security forces together with two film directors whose identities were never revealed. The original 106-minute film, which was reduced to 80-minutes during the review process, finally managed to secure the go-ahead for screening from the Cinema Department of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. The license would allow the director to present a 72-minute version of the film which has been re-edited under a new title (Sky Reaches the Earth),^[16][17] but this failed to affect the fate of the film one way or another.^[18][19] It should be noted that currently the longest version of the film is a 90-minute copy with a medium quality which has been pieced together after the review process, with 10 minutes of the film failing to secure the nod of related officials. The fate of the remaining 16 minutes of the master copy – which was part of the confiscated hardware and has yet to be given back to the director – still hangs in the balance. On various grounds, including reviewing, parts of the film – 34 minutes in total – have landed on the cutting room floor.^[20]

Film release in protest

In protest at his six-year prison term and in support for two members of his crew–namely Mehdi Rajabian, the sound designer and Yousef Emadi, the sound recordist who had been arrested and convicted along with the director – Hossein Rajabian released a free version of his film online in Spring 2016.^[21]

Director’s view

I cannot easily express myself about the developments which have played out. It was not me who made this film, I should say, rather it was the film which pushed me forward. Perhaps that is why nothing in the filmmaking process went ahead normally, so I cannot fathom it. The only thing I can say is that I am thankful to all those who helped me painstakingly in this film project. I dedicate the images of my film–despite their faults and shortcomings–to Vittorio Storaro [an Italian cinematographer]. His company and words opened a new window for me to the images in cinema, the result of which is clearly traceable in every single shot of my film,The Upside-down Triangle.

Hossein Rajabian, Fall of 2015^[22]

Stills of The Upside-down Triangle

Sources- External Links.

• Amnesty International UK Petition - Hossein Rajabian
• culture action europe
• The 10 Best Iranian Films of 2015
• Coverage by The Guardian of Hossein Rajabian’s sentence
• Coverage by PEN International of Hossein Rajabian’s sentence
• Covereage by El Espanol of Hossein Rajabian's sentence
• Covereage by CNN Arabic
• International Film Festival Clermont
• Teaser trailer of The Upside-down Triangle on YouTube
• The Upside-down Triangle BEHIND THE SCENE
• The Upside-down Triangle on BBC PERSIAN
• Hossein Rajabian Official Website
• Iran Art House Film
• The Upside-down Triangle A Film by Hossein Rajabian

References