As some of you may have read, I have been traveling for the last few weeks as part of a delegation of filmmakers sent to Iran by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as part of their International Outreach Committee on a cultural exchange mission to meet with contemporary Iranian filmmakers. It was the first such Western group of artists to go there since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, exactly thirty years ago.
Tehran today (view from the Laleh Hotel)
The group consisted of Academy president Sid Ganis, actors Annette Bening and Alfre Woodard, writer/directors Phil Robinson and Frank Pierson, documentary filmmaker James Longley, and producers Tom Pollock and myself, as well as special events co-ordinator Ellen Harrington from the Academy, who organized everything and did an amazing job.
Here we are upon our arrival at the Imam Khomeini Airport, the international airport about an hour south of Tehran.
It was an utterly fascinating trip, not without it's surprises and controversy, on both sides of the Atlantic, which was to be expected given the long history of often tense and complicated relations between our two countries.
I have some stories and pictures to share with you in the coming weeks, so I hope you will read along, as so much of what I found and experienced there defied my expectations and limited understanding of what I knew before I went.
Enjoy!
william
Welcome back!!! Looking forward to read your stories and find out what you did and learned during this trip.
Posted by: Elizabeth | March 09, 2009 at 03:31 AM
Welcome back, Bill!
This is a fantastic mission that I'm sure will make a long-term difference for all involved. Communication is the first step towards peace isn't it?
Posted by: dutchbaby | March 09, 2009 at 07:17 AM
Yay Billy!
I am so happy to have you back!
I cannot wait to hear about the details of these trip.
lOVE!
Elsi:)
Posted by: Elsita :) | March 09, 2009 at 07:33 AM
I was delighted this morning to see that you are back! I look forward to your sharing of thoughts, observations and pictures of and about Iran.
Posted by: Patricia Garn | March 09, 2009 at 07:41 AM
welcome back ! can't wait to hear all- so proud of you! sorry I won't be in LA to share the big day but the broke chicago contingent will be sending big hugs and kisses.
maybe you/your group could organize some press junkets to talk about the trip- i.e. Nation, Democracy Now, as well as Hollywood media -it's a really important story to get out as the drums of war continue to beat -the people to people meetings do so much to tamp that down and put a human face on jingoistic rhetoric
if interested,I personally I know some reporters ( i.e.at NPR's, the World) - that may do an interview)
Posted by: Marguerite Horberg | March 09, 2009 at 08:26 AM
Welcome Back!
God Bless You and Yours!!!
Posted by: Flassie | March 09, 2009 at 11:08 PM
So happy your back home safe and sound. Sorry about being a day late in realizing this :)
Posted by: margaret oomen | March 10, 2009 at 04:52 PM