The Edinburgh Iranian Festival is a non-political showcase for world-class Iranian culture, as well as for bands and artists working both in and outside Iran.
EIF aims to introduce the tremendous breadth of Iranian history and culture to adults and children in Scotland, and to integrate the two communities through a broad range of interactive events spanning numerous art-forms.
The events include music concerts, a book reading, film screenings, lectures, exhibitions, storytelling, food, a bazaar, comedy shows, sports and games.
The festival is being organised by a dedicated team of volunteers.


Opening Ceremony
Lecture by Professor the Baroness Haleh Afshar
Professor the Baroness Haleh Afshar will deliver a lecture on British/Iranian/Muslim identity, a topic very close to the essence of Edinburgh Iranian Festival.
Professor Afshar works in the Politics and Women’s Studies department in the University of York, and serves as a Crossbench Peer in the House of Lords.
The ceremony will include free refreshment, live piano music, and a private viewing of the Bazaar at the end of the ceremony.
Fri 28th Jan 2011 / 21:00 - 23:00
St. John’s Church, West End Princes St., Edinburgh, EH2 4BJ
FREE Admission – ticket needed

Arts
- An exhibition by two contemporary Iranian artists, Maryam Hashemi and Haleh Jamali, exploring issues around cultural identity.
Pre-Festival Event: Opening night on Monday 24th of Jan 2011, from 18:00 - 20:30
24th Jan till 5th Feb 2011 / 10:00 - 17:00 (Mon-Sat)
Out of the Blue Drill Hall Exhibition Space, 36 Dalmeny St., Edin., EH6 8RG
FREE Admission
Maryam Hashemi’s paintings are rooted in her subconscious and often influenced by her Iranian background and her interest in mysteries and the unknown, usually touched up with humour. Women are the main subjects and her recent works are mainly self portraits, focusing on her personal experiences of living in England and the changes she went through in finding her true identity.
Haleh Jamali is a young Iranian painter, who looks at the hidden layers beneath what is seen through medium of paintings and installations. Her interest in portraiture and narratives stems from her desire to address the socio-political issue of representation, particularly for the female gender. Encouraging an intimate relationship between the viewer and the subject, Jamali considers how an individual’s identity can be constructed in relation to Others, while simultaneously suggesting that Self and Other are inseparable.

- Photography Exhibitions
Photos by a number of Iranian photographers, with Iran and Iranian culture as the subject matter. The list of artists confirmed to date include: Roxana Pope, Vida Sherkat, Sara Mohseni, Mehrdad Azmin, Bahar Azazdi, and Maryam Ghorbankarimi.
16th Jan till 6th Feb 2011 / All Day
Filmhouse cinema Cafe, 88 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH3 9BZ
FREE Admission

- School Exhibition
An exhibition at the Edinburgh Persian School, displaying the work of the pupils learning Persian there. The children’s art works will include paintings, poetry, and story boards. There will be a chance for all kids, young and old, to learn traditional Iranian playground games.
Sat 29th Jan 2011 / 11:30 - 12:30
Bruntsfield Primary School, Montpelier, Edinburgh, EH10 4NA
FREE Admission

Lectures
Series of Lectures on Ancient Persia
A series of themed lectures presented by academic specialists from across Scotland’s universities.
The lectures will explore the history of ancient Persia and its legacy in the modern world. Organized by Dr Lloyd Llewellyn Jones, a specialist in Achaemenid history and culture, the Persia Lecture Series 2011 is sure to be a highlight of the Festival.

- Cyrus the Great: Dreams and Distortions
Lecture by Dr. Lloyd Llewellyn Jones of University of Edinburgh
Closely examine the words of Cyrus the Great and investigate the impact he has had on Iranian identity.
Mon 31st Jan 2011 / 18:00 - 19:00
Conference Room, David Hume Tower, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JX
FREE Admission

- Persepolis and its Archive
Lecture by Dr Lloyd Llewellyn Jones, University of Edinburgh
Walk through the ruins of Persepolis (Takhte Jamshid), using the 3 dimensional program, Persepois 3D, and learn about the city’s ancient functions.
Tues 1st Feb 2011 / 18:00 - 19:00
Conference Room, David Hume Tower, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JX
FREE Admission

- Coins in the Achaemenid Persian Empire
Lecture by Prof. Keith Rutter, University of Edinburgh
Explore the use and imagery of the earliest currency in Iran.
Wed 2nd Feb 2011 / 18:00 - 19:00
Conference Room, David Hume Tower, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JX

- Tourism, Marketing and Modern Iran
Lecture by Dr Derek Bryce, University of Strathclyde Debate the problems Iran faces in marketing its
past to tourists.
Fri 4th Feb 2011 / 18:00 -19:00
Conference Room, David Hume Tower, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JX
FREE Admission

- Talk on Persian Carpets
Talk & Exhibition by Persian Rug Village
Enjoy free refreshments while sitting on a beautiful Persian carpet and listening to a talk by Mr. Yazdanian, on the history and the differences between types of Iranian carpet. There will also be a chance at the end of the lecture to get your hands on some practical work and learn some of the simple knots that are used for weaving a carpet.
Fri 4th Feb 2011 / 21:00 - 22:00
Persian Rug Village, 34 Morningside Rd, Edinburgh EH10 4DA
FREE Admission

- Talk on Persian Tiles
Lecture by Friederike Voigt, the Senior Curator of the Middle East & South Asia Department of World Cultures in the National Museums Scotland.
This lecture will give an overview of tilework in Iranian architecture, an art form which makes use of geometric, floral and figurative patterns as well as inscriptions. In particular, the lecture will focus on figurative painted tiles, which emerged as the favoured means of symbolic expression under the Qajar dynasty in the 19th century.
Sat 5th Feb 2011 / 18:00 - 19:00
Conference Room, David Hume Tower, George Square, Edin., EH8 9JX
FREE Admission

Books
- Wine & Poetry
Bring your own bottle of wine (or flask of tea) and your favourite poem by one of Iran’s or Scotland’s well known poets. There will be distinguished guests, such as Iranian poets Soheila Ghodstinat , Mehri Kashani and Lobat Vala. Wine and poetry have been found side by side in Persian poems throughout history, and will once again unite in Scotland!
Sat 29th Jan 2011 / 20:00 - 22:00
The Bazaar Nomadic Tent, St. John’s Church (Rear Hall), West End Princes St., Edinburgh, EH2 4BJ
FREE Admission

- Books about Iran Available at Blackwell’s
To mark the Festival, Blackwell’s Bookshop have put together a special collection of books on Iran, its history, and its culture.
28th Jan - 6th Feb 2011 / All Day
Blackwell’s, 53-62 South Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1YS
FREE Admission

- Q&A and Book Reading: Ctesias at the Court of the Great King
Dr. Lloyd Llewellyn Jones will be talking about his book Ctesias’ History of Persia: Tales of the Orient.
Thurs 3rd Feb 2011 / 18:00 - 19:00
Blackwell’s, 53-62 South Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1YS
FREE Admission

- Storytelling from Shahnameh
Shahnameh (or The Book of Kings) is a poetic opus written by the Iranian poet Ferdowsi around 1000 AD. It tells the mythical and historical past of Greater Iran from the creation of the world up until the Islamic conquest of Iran in the 7th century. Some stories from this masterpiece will be told in English, both children & adults are welcome. The event will start with screening of a short animation, Mixed Nutz “Persian Adventure”.
Sat 5th Feb 2011 / 14:00 - 15:30
Pleasance Cabaret Bar, 60 Pleasance, Edinburgh, EH8 9TJ
FREE Admission

Comedy
- Comedy Showcase with Patrick Monahan, Peyvand Khorsandi & Sam
A comedy showcase by 3 British/Iranian comedians, Patrick Monahan, Peyvand Khorsandi and Sam Farzaneh.
Wed 2nd Feb 2011 / 19:00 - 21:00 and 21:00 - 23:00
Voodoo Rooms (Ball Room), 19AWest Register St, Edinburgh, EH2 2AA
Box Office: Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street, Tel: 0131-228 1404

Patrick Monahan
An Irish-Iranian stand-up comedian, who has performed at seven Edinburgh Fringe Festivals. He has been on “The Paul O’Grady Show” live on C4’ and on Tommy Holgate’s list of the Top 10 Comedians to look out for 2010.
Peyvand Khorsandi
An Iranian-born journalist and a stand-up comedian. A writer on Radio 4 show “Shappi Talk” and the brother of the popular stand-up comedian Shappi Khorsandi. Comedy seems to run in the blood of the Khorsandi family!
Sam Farzaneh
Sam is a professional photographer for the BBC World Service and an exciting newcomer to stand-up comedy.

- Childern’s Comedy Hour with Patrick Monahan
A comedy show by Patrick Monahan, suitable for both children and adults. Patrick will be telling stories of his childhood and also stories from his motherland, Iran.
Wed 2nd Feb 2011 / 17:00 - 18:00
Persian Rug Tent, Persian Rug Village, 34 Morningside
Rd., Edinburgh, EH10 4DA
Box Office: Tickets can be obtained at the venue on the day

Music
- Traditional Music Concert by Magham Ensemble & Dunya Ensemble
A traditional music concert by Dunya and Magham Ensembles, showcasing musical traditions from different ethnicities in Iran. Both groups play traditional Iranian instruments including tar, setar, oud, santour, and percussion, as well as vocals.
Sun 6th Feb 2011 / 21:00 - 23:00
St. John’s Church, Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4BJ
Box Office: Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street, Tel: 0131-228 1404

- Club Persia, Ceilidh & Live Music by GOL
A fusion between Scottish & Iranian music at the glamorous Voodoo Rooms. Live music by UK/Iranian jazz, world, electronica band GOL, selected as part of the Scottish Jazz Expo at Edinburgh Jazz Festival 2010. Scottish Ceilidh by Fiddle Guitar, & Iranian Pop Music by DJ Sara & DJ Kaveh. Dance instructions will be provided on the night. Dress to impress!
Sun 30th Jan 2011 / 20:30 - 1:00
Voodoo Rooms (Ball Room), 19AWest Register St, Edinburgh, EH2 2AA
Box Office: Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge St, Tel: 0131-228 1404

- Santour Music Classes
Free introductory Santour music classes with the leader of Dunya Ensemble, Dr. Vosough. Instruments will be supplied by the teacher. Further private lessons can be arranged.
Sat 5th Feb 2011 / 11:00 - 12:00
Persian Rug Tent, Persian Rug Village, 34 Morningside Rd., Edinburgh, EH10 4DA
FREE Admission

Film
Iranian Film Season
A season of Iranian films at venues across Edinburgh.
Films at ECA Screen Academy
- The Tale of Two Soldiers
A Tale of Two Soldiers is the story of two ordinary men – an Iranian and an Iraqi – both former prisoners of war in the Iran-Iraq war. They first met on the battlefield where one man saved the other, and fate brought them together again 20 years later in Canada.
Q & A with a production team member after the film.
Jiyar Gol • 2010 • Canada & Iran • BBC Persian • 42 mins • Farsi with English subtitles
Mon 31st Jan 2011 / 17:00 - 19:00
Main Building Lecture Theatre, Edin College of Art, Lauriston Place, EH3 9DF
FREE Admission
- No One Knows about Persian Cats
It is estimated there are around 2,000 illegal independent bands in Tehran’s underground music scene. This film follows two young musicians on their quest to form a band to play at a concert abroad.
The film was shot in secret and features performances by real life bands.
Bahman Ghobadi • 2009 • Iran • 106 mins • Farsi with English subtitles
Thurs 3rd Feb 2011 / 17:00 - 19:00
Main Building Lecture Theatre, Edin College of Art, Lauriston Place, EH3 9DF
FREE Admission

Film Seminar at Screen
- Women and Films in Iran
This seminar will explore both the role of women in Iranian cinema as well as the practicalities of filming in Iran as a woman. It will be led by film makers Roxana Pope and Maryam Ghorbankarimi and film academic Taraneh Dadar and include clips from their films.
Fri 4th Feb 2011 / 14:00 - 16:00
Studio 2, Skillset Screen & Media Academy, 2A Merchiston Av., EH10 4NU
Entry: FREE Admission

Films at the Brass Monkey Pub
- Santouri
Ali narrates the film as he goes from a popular wedding musician and loving husband to a divorced drug addict living on the streets. Using flashbacks and incorporating classical music, the audience goes on a rollercoaster of emotions.
Dariush Mehrjui • 2007 • Iran • 106 mins • Farsi with English subtitles
Mon 31st Jan 2011 / 19:30 - 21:30
Screening Room, Brass Monkey Pub, 14 Drummond Street, EH8 9TU
FREE Admission
- The Day I Became a Woman
This lyrical film about freedom and oppression was co-written by Mohsen Makhmalbaf. It follows three Iranian women living in South Iran who are at different stages in their lives. The film premiered at the 2000 Venice Film Festival.
Marzieh Meshkini • 2000 • Iran • 78 mins • Farsi with English subtitles
Tues 1st Feb 2011 / 19:30 - 21:30
Screening Room, Brass Monkey Pub, 14 Drummond Street, EH8 9TU
FREE Admission

Showcase of Iranian Short Films
An exciting and surprising night of Iranian short films brought to you in association with the UK Iranian Film Festival: www.ukiff.org.uk
Thurs 3rd Feb 2011 / 19:30 - 21:30
Screening Room, Brass Monkey Pub, 14 Drummond Street, EH8 9TU
FREE Admission

Storytelling Session (See Books)
Mixed Nutz Persian Adventure
Mixed Nutz is an animation about a group of friends from different places and their adventures in school and at home. In this episode, Babak, Saman and Sousanne meet an artist while at a mehmooni (party). The artist tells them that they can use their imagination to go anywhere they like. He then takes them on a journey through Iran to celebrate its culture and history. Guest starring Maz Jobrani and a music video from Abjeez.
The animation will be followed by Shahnameh Storytelling (see Books).
Norooz & Big Bad Boo Productions • 2010 • Canada • 31 mins • Farsi/English with English subtitles
Sat 5th Feb 2011 / 14:00 - 14:31
Cabaret Bar, Pleasance Courtyard, 60 Pleasance, Edinburgh EH8 9TJ
FREE Admission

Middle Eastern Film Festival 2011
The following films will be shown as part of the 2011 Middle Eastern Film Festival.
- Tehroun
In the urban jungle of South Tehran, almost everything can be bought or sold. The dream of making their way in the big city turns sour for Ibrahim and his housemates as they get caught up in the world of beggars, prostitutes, and gangsters. Venice Critic’s week audience award winner.
Nader T Homayoun • 2009 • Iran/France • 95mins • Farsi with English subtitles
Filmhouse Cinema, 88 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH3 9BZ
Date / Time / Entry: Contact Filmhouse: 0131 228 2688, www.filmhousecinema.com
- About Elly
A group of friends take a trip to North Iran to introduce a visiting friend to a prospective partner, Elly. The holiday takes an unexpected turn when she disappears. As they struggle to find her, the truth about Elly is exposed. Official entry for Academy Awards® Best Foreign Language film.
Asghar Farhadi • 2009 • Iran • 119mins • Farsi with English subtitles
Filmhouse Cinema, 88 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH3 9BZ
Date / Time / Entry: Contact Filmhouse: 0131 228 2688, www.filmhousecinema.com

Mini Iranian Bazaar
28th Jan (14:00 - 18:00) & 29th/30th Jan (10:00 - 18:00)
St. John’s Church (Rear Hall), West End Princes St., Edinburgh, EH2 4BJ
FREE Admission

Food
Special Iranian menus during the festival period at two restaurants in Edinburgh.

Games & Sports
- Persian Pub Quiz
- Yoga Classes
- 5 Aside Football Match