A History of Sadness

In A History of Sadness, generations of Iranian women interact with generations of film technology. The director takes footage recorded by her parents, filmed by her mother or showing her mother, and mixes it with her own recordings of her grandmother, her mother, and herself. The archival footage intertwines with new images, as do the stories of these three generations, which are also haunted by the ghosts of the mothers who came before them. This short film highlights how migration, socio-political contexts, gender roles, and intergenerational transmission complicate and colour identities and mother-daughter relationships, transforming the sadness of these women into something precious. (SCV)

Quebec Premiere

competition : National Short and Medium-Length Competition

A History of Sadness