Rap & Revolution Iran

The documentary shows various rappers, singers, actors and journalists being interviewed about current and past events in relation to rap music and revolutionary events/protests in Iran. This will be followed by a talk with director Omid Mirnour on the podium.

The film campaign entitled "RAP&REVOLUTION IRAN" is about the history of Iranian rap music in relation to social events and protests. The focus is on socially critical rappers who were either imprisoned in Iran or had to leave the country for their own protection. The documentary features well-known figures such as Xatar, Kool Savas, Nimo, Celo, Justina, Jasmin Shakeri, Basstard, Vahid Silent, Takt32, Sugar MMFK, Jalil, PTK, Amina Aziz, Roxana Samadi and Melissa Khalaj.

Since the beginning of the Mahsa Amini revolutionary movement, thousands of innocent protesters have been arrested in Iran and some have been sentenced to death. Among them are currently the rappers Toomaj Salehi & Saman Yasin. Toomaj Salehi has already been imprisoned for the third time because of his music and public protest. Saman Yasin has attempted suicide in prison and is awaiting a final court verdict. In February 2024, rapper Vafadar was also imprisoned after Iranian regime forces broke into his home; he has currently been released on bail. Other rappers such as Shahin Najafi have received a death sentence from the Iranian regime and had to leave the country for their own protection. But other political prisoners are also shown in the documentary, such as the German citizen Jamshid Sharmahd, who was abducted by Iranian secret service agents on a business trip to Dubai and taken to Iran, where he was sentenced to death in a sham trial. The documentary also sheds light on events that took place on German soil under the control of the Iranian regime, such as the Mykonos murders in Berlin in 1992, in which four Kurdish-Iranian opposition politicians were killed. Or the contract killing of Fereydoon Farrochsad in Bonn in 1992.

FSK 18

The screening will be followed by a talk with director Omid Mirnour and guests on the podium at 4.30 pm.