Asia House Pan-Asia Film Festival review: Kami’s Party
A still from Iranian film Kami's Party directed by Ali Ahmadzadeh
Asia House Pan-Asia Film Festival review: Kami’s Party
28 February 2014
Omid, Negin’s boyfriend, is nowhere to be found. Incidentally, omid is the Iranian word for hope, something which the lay viewer learns later in the movie, when a pseudo-philosophical conversation between the main characters takes place in the car as they are on their way to the outskirts of Tehran: “Everybody is looking for hope (omid)”.
However, the life of these Iranian young adults does not seem hopeless at all: overall, they seem to be having fun, they take drugs, they drink, they flirt. With the exception of Nazanin, Negin’s older sister, who has a terrible secret and has messed up in hiding it properly. The party being thrown at Kami’s place is actually intended to be a surprise celebration for Nazanin, who has lost her fiancé to cancer three months before. But the surprise is ruined by the guy who is driving her to the party, who, due to his unfettered lifestyle, is struggling to stay awake and keep his eyes on the road.
In some kind of karmic trajectory, where no one, not even Nazanin, is either fully aware nor in total control of what is going on, a series of unexpected events lead to a surprise which is one of the main things that makes the film worth watching.
Another reason why it is an interesting one is that it gives a fascinating portrayal of the contemporary women and men of the Iranian bourgeoisie.
Title: Kami’s Party (original title Mehmouniye Kami)
Directed by: Ali Ahmadzadeh
Released in: Estonia (2013)
Starring: Pegah Ahangarani
Running Time: 80 mins
Language: in Persian with English subtitles
Plot summary: A surprise party is being thrown at Kami’s place, in the outskirts of Tehran. As two groups of young adults travel there in their cars, we learn about their lives, fears and aspirations, while a terrible secret is waiting to be discovered.
See it if you like: the road movie genre
Type of film: chilled out thriller
Key selling point: it keeps you on the edge of your seat
Weakness: the story remains unresolved
Kami’s Party was screened at the Pan-Asia Film Festival on Sunday, March 2.
The Asia House Pan-Asia Film Festival took place from 26 February-9 March, 2014.
Stella Schito is currently doing an internship at Asia House.
