Breathful
Breathful is a 2007 gangster-comedy film directed by Daryush Shokof. Featuring a mostly female cast, Breathful is meant to promote gender equality and women's rights, particularly the rights of women from Shokof's homeland, Iran. Shokof has said that the word was created by himself and that the film was a homage to the film Breathless by Jean-Luc Godard.
| Breathful | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Daryush Shokof |
| Produced by | Tom Dokoupil Taies Farzan |
| Written by | Daryush Shokof |
| Starring | Souzan Alavi Narges Rashidi Taies Farzan Christina Fraas |
| Music by | Tom Dokoupil |
| Cinematography | Daryoush Zandi |
| Edited by | Tom Dokoupil Daryush Shokof |
Release date |
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| Country | Germany |
| Language | English |
Plot synopsis
Two friends, Berta Taies Farzan and Fuss Narges Rashidi, get drugs on credit from the drug lord Sigi (Monika Schubert) in an attempt to get rich. When they are unable to sell the drugs they bring them back to Sigi and ask her to forget the deal. Still needing money, Berta continues to hold up store clerks while Fuss leisurely calls on her society friends, much to Berta's aggravation. Fuss soon suggests that they become painters and sell their art for a living, so that Berta may stop her dangerous store robberies. The two friends try out Fuss’ plans, and put on a show exhibiting their paintings. Their newly found success ends abruptly, however, when Fuss has an affair with Naomi (Tina McErvale), Sigi's daughter, provoking the drug lord and causing her to kill the two artists. The film ends in a shootout, and the bloody bodies of Berta and Fuss are carried off the screen by the mysterious taxi-driver, Benny Hur (Souzan Alavi).
Cast
- Taies Farzan
- Narges Rashidi
- Jasmin Wagner
- Tina Mcervale
- Souzan Alavi
- Barbara Kowa
- Marina Welsch
- Monika Schubert
- Daryush Shokof
Art Design
Background
Shokof cast two Iranian lead actresses, Taies Frazan and Narges Rashidi, to enhance Breathful's message of gender equality. In his native country of Iran, women are unjustly treated by the country's leaders, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, influential religious officials, and the traditional Muslim society as a whole. By adapting a genre that is usually dominated by men, the gangster film, and not making use of a single male actor throughout, Shokof shows that women are just as capable as their male counterparts.
Production
The film was produced by Daryush Shokof, Taies Farzan, Shahin Shokoofandeh entirely in Berlin, Germany.
Awards
Daryush Shokof won the Best Director award for Breathful in the 2007 New York International Independent Film and Video Festival.
External links