Once Upon a Time in Iran

Description: Once Upon a Time in Iran: BAFTA award-winning director Kevin Sim follows pilgrims on a breathtaking spiritual journey through Iran and Iraq to reveal how a murder that took place nearly 1400 years ago still shapes the dangerous world of the Middle East. Behind the headlines that read 'The Axis of Evil' and 'the new Hitler', there is another story, which began long ago. The film follows a group of ordinary Iranians to the source of this tale - one that has galvanised Iranian politics for hundreds of years. Amongst the pilgrims on this modern Canterbury Tales are Basijis, hard-line revolutionary guards, supporters of President Ahmadinejad and the tough fundamentalist principles of the Islamic Republic; bazaari, the enormously influential traders from the great bazaars of Tehran and Isfahan; athletes from the closely guarded Zoorkheneh, the so called Houses of Strength, the guardians of centuries-old traditions, whose extreme exercise regime is driven by the stories and ancient poetry of Iran. Also amongst the pilgrims will be three-year-old Mohammad Hussein, learning these stories for the first time. All the pilgrims travel to Iraq in the knowledge that increasingly in recent months these Shi'a shrines - and Shi'a pilgrims - have become targets of Iraqi Sunni attacks. More recently Karbala has become even more than a symbol - it has been an irresistible call to political action.