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Iranian national Pijah Ihinjarany, winner of the best actress in the latest Cairo International Cinema Festival, said that she never wanted to be an actress. She won her award for her role in the movie, "A Stray Girl." In this interview with Islam Online in Cairo, she talked about herself and concerns of youth in Iran.
Q: Tell us about yourself.
A: My name is Pijah Ihinjarany. Pijah means the time before the dawn. I am 16 years old. I am at the high school level. I attend a music school in Tehran.
Q: Is your schooling limited to music?
A: No it is not. We study regular curriculum, plus music.
Q: How did you feel about acting?
A: At the beginning, I did not think of being an actress at this time. All I wanted to do is to be close to my mom, who works in cinema production, as much as possible. When the idea of this film came up, the director was interviewing some potential candidates. At that time I said, "Let me try." I was chosen.
Q: Was the subject of the movie one of the motivating factors for you to get into this experience?
A: Yes it was. The movie deals with a serious problem facing youth in Iran. It's the relationship between the sexes in the country at the college level and the way society perceives such relationships.
Q: The movie can be looked at from different perspectives. It also deals with the issue of an adolescent girl running away from her family. In your view, what is really the problem that the film is dealing with?
A: The film deals with the issue of the generational gap and the lack of dialogue. The girl in this movie needed someone to talk to. No one at home or at schools would talk to her about her concerns. Then she meets this guy who listens to her. The relationship between them did not go beyond walking in public parks next to the school and debating public issues.
Q: What is the difference between generations in Iran about this issue?
A: Previous generations may have married without knowing the person whom they would marry or even having talked to them before. Our generation does not accept that. They look for legitimate ways to know prospective husbands and wives.
Q: In Iran, the younger generation voted for President Khatami. What do you think the reasons are?
A: As the younger generation, we see a strong base for building a free and open society in President Khatami's agenda. At the same time, the agenda preserves our great values. President Khatami's understanding of Islam and his views on global affairs are appealing to the younger generation's youth as well as to their views of the world. I myself just recently reached voting age. I am still young, as you see.
Q: Is the young generation in Iran satisfied with Khatami's accomplishments, or are they frustrated of the pace of change in the country?
A: As a young generation, we are satisfied with the accomplishments of President Khatami. We welcome his policies and support them.
Q: Returning to the movie, had you had any training before standing in front of the camera?
A: No, I never had training with camera talent. I just memorized my role and stood with simplicity in front of camera. I absorbed the feelings of a young girl like me going through these difficulties and acted accordingly.
Q: Have you benefited from music in your role?
A: Music has taught me tranquility, peace of mind and inner peace. It taught me how to bring my feelings to a level corresponding with body and facial expressions. It made me feel the emotions that the "hero" of the movie was going through.
Q: Do you agree with the end of the story, where the runaway comes back to her family?
A: The movie was supposed to finish with the disappearance of the girl when her friend abandons her. However, this end may enrage our conservative society. It can be looked at as encouraging running away from family and encouraging bad behavior. This is why we preferred the return of the girl to her family.
Q: How do you feel after winning this award?
A: This is my first international award. Winning it at the Cairo festival also gives it a special meaning. I can't express my happiness and gratitude to those people who showered me with their love, support and interviews on satellite TV stations. I also thank those people who insisted on taking pictures with me.
Q: After this success in your first movie, what are your plans for the future?
A: I need to concentrate on my education, finish it and then come back to cinema as a career. However, not before finishing my education.
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