The Voice of Dust and Ash: Mohammad Reza Shajarian (film screening & discussion)

Join us for a screening of the critically acclaimed feature documentary, “The Voice of Dust and Ash,” and a discussion with the film's director, Mandana Biscotti, immediately after. The film was nominated for the Hollywood Music in Media Awards in the categories of Best Music Documentary and Best Song. On December 21st, the film was announced on the Academy Awards® official shortlist.  The film is in Persian and English, with English subtitles. Discussion will be in English. The documentary is an artistic exploration of the life and legacy of legendary Iranian classical  artist and humanitarian Maestro Mohammad Reza Shajarian through the prism of the Unofficial Iranian National Anthem for Freedom, "Morghe Sahar." 

Mandana Biscotti is a director, producer and attorney who has worked in the entertainment industry for over 15 years. This is her debut feature documentary but prior to filmmaking she worked at CBS and the Directors Guild of America. Her relationship with Maestro Shajarian began when she was a child, as her father knew him from before the Revolution. She began filming in 2016 with the intention of preserving Maestro Shajarian's legacy and to shine a light on Iran's cultural history through the lens of Shajarian's music and art, which coincides with many of Iran's watershed moments. She lives in Southern California with her husband and two children and practices law when she is not filmmaking. 

If you need a disability-related accommodation for this event, please contact us at iranianstudies [at] stanford.edu (iranianstudies[at]stanford[dot]edu).  Requests should be made by January 31, 2023.