Oscar-Contender ‘The Voice Of Dust And Ash’ Chronicles Mohammad Shajarian, Legendary Vocalist Who Defied Iranian Regime
deadline.comWhen protests broke out in Iran in 2009 over the fraudulent presidential election, one of the country’s leading artists stood up against the regime and its violent repression of demonstrators.
Vocalist Mohammad Reza Shajarian recorded a song with lyrics addressed to government militias attacking people in the streets: “Lay down your guns.
Come, sit down, talk, hear. Perhaps the light of humanity will get through to your heart.” With mass protests again flaring in Iran in recent months—perhaps the most serious challenge to the fundamentalist regime since the Islamic Revolution of 1979—Shajarian’s example and solidarity with the people remain as vital as ever.
Shajarian’s life and the unique stature he attained in Iranian culture are explored in the Oscar-contending documentary The Voice of Dust and Ash, directed by first-time Iranian American filmmaker Mandana Biscotti.
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