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Iranian director Majid Majidi wants his films to show Western audiences a different image of his homeland, saying Western media portrayals of Iran ignored the country's rich history.
Majidi, best known for his Oscar-nominated film "Children of Heaven," is back in US cinemas this month with his latest movie "Song of Sparrows," the touching story of an ostrich farmer who falls on hard times.
The film, released in US theaters on Friday, has earned critical plaudits for its portrayal of rural life in Iran and striking cinematography depicting the country's natural beauty.
Majidi told reporters here he wanted the film to give audiences a different view of Iran to its common portrayal in US media as an ideological foe hell-bent on acquiring a nuclear arsenal.
"The damaged portrait about Iran in the western news media is the wrong image," Majidi said. "Trying to just look at everything from the political aspect and ignoring a nation with such a long history, such a rich culture, hurts Iran's image in the world.
"Iranian cinema is trying to correct that image, to give the real image of Iran and the people of Iran."
Majidi, 49, whose influences include legendary US director John Ford, said Iran's burgeoning film industry often had to operate by guesswork in terms of knowing how to deal with state censors in the Islamic republic.
Celebrated contemporaries such as Mohsen Makhmalbaf have seen their work fall victim to the censors.
"There is not really a standard way of dealing with films in Iran. It really depends on the taste of the people who are in government at that time," Majidi told AFP through an interpreter.
"Under (pro-reform president) Mohammad Khatami it was a little bit easier; with the recent government it has become tougher. The problem is it's not regulated, so you really don't know what the situation is.
"A film could be censored under one government and win an award under the next government."
