Radio Dreams
A single day unfolds at a farsi-language radio station in San francisco. The staff awaits a much-anticipated visit from the metal band Metallica, arranged with the highest of hopes by hamid, the station’s perpetually exasperated program director. In Iran, hamid was a renowned author, but he’s since channeled his energy into keeping Pars Radio’s schedule packed with meaningful content. Also in the mix is real-life Afghani band Kabul Dreams, who’ve been summoned to join their rock idols for a broadcast that’ll hopefully drum up some new listeners. But the meeting isn’t just a publicity stunt – at least not for hamid, who sees it more as a symbolic cultural exchange between East and West.
RADIO DREAMS writer-director Babak Jalali strikes the perfect tone, couching the film’s more serious themes within a small-scale film that’s filled with deadpan humor and understated yet powerful performances – particularly by the charismatic Mohsen Namjoo, aka “the Iranian Bob Dylan” – as the passionate hamid. (Cheryl Eddy)
- Mohsen Namjoo - Hamid
- Kabul Dreams - Sulyman Qardash, Siddique Ahmed and Raby Adib
- Lars Ulrich - Lars Ulrich
- Mohammad Talani
- Babak Jalali
- Aida Ahadiany
- Noaz Deshe
- Mahmood Schricker
- Nico Leunen
- Babak Salek
- Mahmood Schricker
- Laura Lathi
Reel Suspects
