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PARK MARK

پارک مارک

DIRECTED BY: Baktash Abtin

Year: 2010
Country: Iran
Length: 52′
Language: Persian
Subtitles: EN, CZ

Park Mark

پارک مارک

DIRECTED BY: Baktash Abtin

Mark is a homeless crack addict who lives in the parks of Tehran by day and steals from donation boxes by night. Fate has pushed the once father, husband and successful United States resident to the margin of society and has turned him into an outcast. Following the life of this peculiar character from sunset to sunrise across various neighborhoods of Tehran, provides a deeply felt insight into the life of a man whose fate has taken a dark turn.

An intimate look into the life of a funny, charming but above all, broken member of society, Park Mark is a powerful journey into the harsh realities of life in Tehran after dark.

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SCREENINGS

Baktash Abtin

One of the most acclaimed Iranian poets of his generation, Baktash Abtin started writing poetry at an early age and had already published 3 books of poetry by the time he left high school. His fascination with poetry and literature soon led him to write extensively on history, sociology and literary criticism. This was followed by a growing interest in film, and soon enough Abtin went on to direct 6 films touching on various social topics with his signature fusion of tragedy and comedy in social criticism.
He was indicted three times for his peaceful activism; among other things, Abtin had spoken out against censorship and advocated freedom of expression and the abolition of the death penalty. After being involved in the publication of a book describing the history of the Iranian Writers Association, Abtin was charged on 15 May 2019 with illegal assembly and collusion against national security and spreading propaganda against the state. He was sentenced to a total of 6 years imprisonment.
While in prison, Abtin was transferred to the prison clinic after showing symptoms of pneumonia linked to COVID-19. Abtin was denied proper treatment despite many international petitions signed in his support. As his conditions deteriorated drastically, he was eventually transferred to an intensive care unit but passed away at the age of 48, making the Iranian authorities accountable for the loss of one of the most significant figures of Iranian contemporary art.


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