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The Voice of Dust and Ash

Play trailer Poster for The Voice of Dust and Ash Released Nov 18, 2022 1h 23m Biography Documentary Music Play Trailer Watchlist
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The untold story of monumental artist and humanitarian Maestro Mohammad Reza Shajarian, hailed by NPR as "one of the 50 greatest voices of all time" and by the Wall Street Journal as "the most important Iranian cultural figure of the last 3 decades." When Iran's ayatollah banned music and performances in the entire country, instruments and records became contraband, and artists were exiled, imprisoned, or executed. As the new government began to crush basic human rights, Maestro Shajarian risked everything to confront the regime, singing truth to power and uniting the country in a chorus of millions strong. His life-long pursuit of equality through art is immortalized for generations to come, through his majestic, soaring vocals and lyrics. His internationally renowned hymn, "MORGHE SAHAR", performed at the finale of all his concerts, is widely considered the Unofficial National Anthem for Iranian Freedom.

Audience Reviews

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minoo a This documentary was made masterfully, engaging and informative at the time that Iran is under the siege of the enemies Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Ian T brilliant film about an amazing soul Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/16/22 Full Review Mike M One of the best documentary of a legend and an icon that I have seen. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/13/22 Full Review Laleh Z A must-see documentary about the life of Shajarian - the late Iranian singer and master "Ostad" of the Persian traditional music, calligrapher, and humanitarian activist - narrated in his own words. In it, he enlightens the audience about his tremendous artistic success and later his personal hardships following the attempts of the Iranian regime to silence him for his widely-known condemnation of the human rights violations in the beautiful and once peaceful land of Persia. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/05/22 Full Review Kirk My Iranian girl friend took me to see this movie last week and I was blown away by the beauty of the culture, history and the captivating story of this Iranian icon who stood up for his people against this brutal government and saved the traditional music of his country. The movie is an amazing artistic documentary not like anything that I've seen before. Beautifully done in perfection, cinematography, editing, storytelling and the music. It's a most see movie and I hope more American go and see it, they will be pleasantly impressed. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/04/22 Full Review robert s While Shajarian's story is familiar to most Iranians, it is told here with great passion and intensity through the deft interweaving of interviews, historical news footage, dreamy animation sequences, and Shajarian's magnificent singing. Resonance with the current protests is eerie, simultaneously enraging and inspiring. For non-Iranians around the globe watching the resistance unfold (yet again, the film cogently provides a big picture view of the complex history of the struggle while tracing Shajarian's ingenious and courageous achievements as one of Iran's most renowned artists. Scenes of delicate beauty, intelligence, and warmth collide with those of brutality and claustrophobic repression. Shajarian's extensive commentary eloquently ranges over philosophical, historical, political, and artistic angles with compassion and humor. As the current unprecedented extension of the struggle unfolds, this inspiring film reflects our convictions that the light of the human spirit-beauty, kindness, courage, justice-eventually prevails over chilling darkness. A timely and engaging portrait that appeals to fans and speaks across cultures to anyone interested in the power of art and the individual. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Voice of Dust and Ash

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Movie Info

Synopsis The untold story of monumental artist and humanitarian Maestro Mohammad Reza Shajarian, hailed by NPR as "one of the 50 greatest voices of all time" and by the Wall Street Journal as "the most important Iranian cultural figure of the last 3 decades." When Iran's ayatollah banned music and performances in the entire country, instruments and records became contraband, and artists were exiled, imprisoned, or executed. As the new government began to crush basic human rights, Maestro Shajarian risked everything to confront the regime, singing truth to power and uniting the country in a chorus of millions strong. His life-long pursuit of equality through art is immortalized for generations to come, through his majestic, soaring vocals and lyrics. His internationally renowned hymn, "MORGHE SAHAR", performed at the finale of all his concerts, is widely considered the Unofficial National Anthem for Iranian Freedom.
Director
Mandana Biscotti
Producer
Sam Changizi, Ben Biscotti, Rob Simms, Fuschia Sumner
Distributor
Matilda Productions
Genre
Biography, Documentary, Music
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 18, 2022, Limited
Runtime
1h 23m