After reading Jason McBride’s article, Song of Myself: Caveh Zahedi’s Cinema of Self-Exposure, about Zahedis new film I Am A Sex Addict, I have became more intrigued in Zahedis’ way of film making. Zahedi’s films are like a mix of reality TV and documentary, all stemming from his own biography. “Zahedi’s films are largely concerned with his turbulent romantic life and artistic struggles, his fondness for psychedelics, and his penchant for philosophical gab”, which also star himself, his friends and family members (McBride). Zahedi sees life and art not as two separate things but as one thing. To him, life is art and also something that should be captured. What intrigues me is the use of himself in all of these films, and how open he is to filming his own life. It makes me wonder about my own life. Many of the ideas that I’ve had for movies have been taken from my life and I view them as being re-enacted by someone else. I’ve never thought of myself re-enacting them. But Zahedi has this bold attitude that seems to say, this is me, this is my life and this is my story. Not to mention he even gets his own friends and family members to re-enact in his films as well.
This article also made me think more about reality TV and documentaries. Though Zahedi is trying to present us with a reality TV like film, one in which captures everything as it is, but is it ever really real? Is reality TV real, or is it just another re-enactment? It seems to me that it has become more rare to find footage of something happening that does not have any planning behind it. Even on talk shows when they interview actors, they don’t know what is going to be said word for word but they plan out where the conversation is going to go. It doesn’t seem real because real life is usually unplanned. Then it is much more of a shock when something is captured on TV that is not planned. Zahedi’s films try to capture the action as it is happening but unless a camera follows him every waking moment of his life it’s not going to seem real. However even though his films are re-enactments because they are made like reality TV/documentary there is a sense of wonder to them. It’s the same kind of wonder and curiosity most people get from watching reality TV; they want to believe that what they are watching is real even when its not. But maybe that’s ok; maybe it’s the power of believing that shapes us.
Film making today is organized.
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Interesting- your final idea about the power to believe. Is it the "power" or the "desire"? I also like the power to be wary, or the desire to be wary, which you seems to exercise -- to good effect -- here in your response and admiration to the use of "reality."
Have you seen any Zahedi's films? Portia Cobb shows his films in her classes, I know. And Netflix has. The library, as of yet, does not.
One other question: what you say filmmaking is organized - how do you mean? Politically? Logistically?
Thanks for focusing and taking more time here.
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