October 12 – 14, 2024
“Set against the turbulent backdrop of Iranian history over the last 40 years Silent House tracks the fortunes of three generations of an upper-middle-class Iranian family. At the center of the story stands the century-old house in Tehran in which the family lived through both happy and tragic times. The filmmakers, a brother and sister in the family, were able to draw on the rich archive of family home movies, placing them alongside historical material as well as interviews with relatives. Charting the changes experienced by the members of this traditional family following the 1979 revolution until the present time in a highly personal narration, they weave together a rich tapestry of social and political themes. With the house itself as a silent witness, the family’s story becomes a mirror of society”
Silent House is a movie whose central character is a house emerging from the past to satisfy the thirst for history. This house is the abode of three consecutive generations living through time and images recorded by a brother and sister. This is a cinematic diary of a family dwelling in the same abode for almost a century. Through their sensitive view this movie moves gently through an incredible troubled time. This is a magically crafted art which brings to life one of the most historic homes in Iran. It moves through the most politically charged ebb and flow sensibly and manages to remain loyal to the aesthetic values it tries to preserve. This movie is a delightful narrative of struggle and survival. It is a testimony to resilience rooted in ingenuity and creative forces that always guides through unclear moments to achieve some clarity. This movie is sweet invitation to history without historicity.
