VHS Diaries is the tale of a defiant cinephile subculture that pursued their love of cinema despite strict government restrictions and the threat of imprisonment in post-revolution Iran. Constructed as a collage of excerpts from Saghari’s personal VHS film archive, diary entries she wrote during the era of video censorship, and interviews with film historians, enthusiasts and ‘filmis’, underground dealers of videos, the film tells a story of community, resilience, bravery, and an intense passion for cinema.

The screening will be followed by a live Q+A with director Niyaz Saghari and there will be the opportunity for the audience to ask Qs.

Niyaz Saghari is an Iranian, Bristol-based filmmaker. After studying Film Directing at Tehran Art University, she pursued her interests in animation through an MA in animation at Newport. She is a director of independent documentary and experimental films and a member of Bristol Experimental Expanded Film (BEEF) collective. Her work explores urban life in her home towns of Tehran and Bristol.

خاطرات وی اچ اس -VHS Diaries from Niyaz Saghari.