Farahnaz Sharifi. The Power of Archiving

Designer Mindaugas Gavrilovas (Studio Cryo)

Archiving is a powerful tool that plays a crucial role in preserving our collective memory, cultural heritage, and historical truths. It becomes especially vital in the face of controlling or oppressive powers that seek to suppress or rewrite narratives.

On October 15th at 19:30, join us at the Meno Avilys Cinematheque for an artist talk by Farahnaz Sharifi, where we will explore the significance of archiving in documentary films and personal narratives. This two-hour journey will delve into how these mediums utilize archival materials to document and disseminate untold stories, and how archival practices can challenge dominant narratives and preserve marginalized voices in the face of oppressive powers. We will also discuss how personal narratives contribute to the ongoing process of archiving and safeguarding our collective memory. Film examples will be shown to illustrate the transformative power of archiving and the importance of preserving our past for future generations.

REGISTER HERE: https://forms.gle/idRpTX3kGz7NsVkW8 

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Before the event at the Meno Avilys Cinematheque, we recommend attending the screening of Farahnaz Sharifi’s film ‘My Stolen Planet’ on October 14th at 18:30 at Old Town “Pasaka”. 

About the film:

“My Stolen Planet” is a diary-style film by Farahnaz. Born during the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979, she captures moments of joy and defiance in her daily life, navigating the contrast between domestic freedom and external oppression. Simultaneously, she collects 8mm archives from people she doesn’t know. Relying on others’ recordings, she gains a new perspective on losing memories. Her connection with Leyla, an Iranian professor who left Iran during the revolution, adds a name and story to one of her archive’s faces. Farah’s mother, suffering from Alzheimer’s, motivates her to fight against forgetting. In the fall of 2022, the Women, Life, Freedom uprising became a turning point in Farah’s life, as well as in the lives of many others in Iran. This is a homemade history.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/r90oSvqIYBw?si=VEU6f3QZIrSBT8F6

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Farahnaz Sharifi is an award-winning Iranian filmmaker and film editor who moved to Germany at the end of 2022. She has graduated from Tehran University in Cinema studies. Her films are mostly based on archives and she uses archive images and film to tell her stories. Farahnaz is also a well known film editor in Iran. Her recent work as an editor is an acclaimed feature length documentary film “Radiograph of a Family” which won the Best feature length documentary Film Award IDFA 2020. Farahnaz has received many awards inside and outside of Iran including best film Award in Uppsala Short Film Festival. In addition, she was a jury member at IDFA 2021. Beside her career as a filmmaker and editor, she is also a writer and her book of short stories “Breathing in Open Air” has been published in Iran.


The artist talk is free of charge and will be held in English.This event is part of the Meno Avilys Cinematheque event series, curated by Ona Kotryna Dikavičiūtė and Gerda Paliušytė.

Sponsors Lietuvos kultūros taryba, Vilniaus miesto savivaldybė, Lietuvos kino centras
Partner Nepatogus kinas / Inconvenient Films