Rounama Dance

An Iranian Film Festival Exclusive

Director: Houshang Shafti, 1971, Iran, 18 minutes, Choreographer: Hayedeh Ahmadzadeh

Rounama Dance depicts the Iranian wedding ceremony and customs prevalent in the old days. The bride is embellished by her sister and friends then taken to a room where the wedding ceremony is conducted. Later, the bridegroom has to present her with a Rounama (a gift) to be able to see her face for the first time.

Houshang Shafti

Houshang Shafti, born 1933 in Tehran, Iran, director and production designer who has made numerous internationally acclaimed documentaries. Shafti studied film in the United States and received his bachelor’s degree at Tehran University. Since the 1950s Syracuse University established a branch of the Department of Film Studies at Tehran University Shafti was active in its work. He has directed several documentaries with Iranian themes, including Flaming Poppies in 1962 on nomads in Iran and The Broken Column (Sotun e Shekasteh) in 1964 on Persepolis. Most acclaimed internationally, is his short film Flaming Poppies which won the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 1964. He was also production designer for the movie Heroes (1968) directed by Jean Negulesco.

Filmography: 1962 – Flaming poppies / 1964 – The Broken Column / 1966 – The Poppy Is Also a Flower / 1970 – The Invincible Six / 1974 – Carpet / 1975 – Be omid e didar / 1977 – Iranian Scenes / 1978 – Dances of Khorasan