‘I don’t dream at night, I dream at day, I dream all day; I’m dreaming for living.’ Steven Spielberg
Shahab Habibi
Shahab Habibi was born and raised in 1979 in Iran, Tehran. He wrote various books on the cinema field and Also taught at various universities in Iran. Particular success scored with the “film analyzing” classes. Because of his critical views of the political system, he left Iran in 2016. As Refugee in Hamburg he started creating a talk show about the social and human problems that exist specifically in Iran.
WE USUALLY LISTEN TO THE OPINIONS OF THOSE ON THE SIDE OF THE COUNTRIES WHICH EITHER SHELTER REFUGEES OR NOT; AS A FORMER REFUGEE YOURSELF, HOW DO YOU REGARD GERMANY AND ITS PEOPLE?
I think for each refugee, the experience varies according to many parameters. Not only your background, the kind of person you are play a part, but also “Chance” plays a rule as well. But for me personally, although it was a hard time, and still is, I do not complain, because I have met some fantastic people in Germany that helped me through the path as best as they could and I am always thankful to them. Including the lovely “Film Floor” people at Hamburg Media School, and also my friends during the 2 years of studying and our cast and crew.
AS AN IRANIAN POLITICAL ACTIVIST AGAINST THE PREVAILING REGIME, DO YOU BELIEVE THATACTIVISM BRINGS ALONG ANY BETTER TO YOUR LIFE AND TO OTHERS’ LIVES? IS THERE ROOM FOR ANYCHANGE?
I think being a political activist, is like taking the Red Pill in the Matrix. When you “wake up”, there is no going back and also it is not going to be a fun ride. It is not easy to follow all the toxic news everyday, yet care about them and try to do something against the propaganda of the dictators. The main problem is, people like us who try to tell the truth about the crimes of the regime in Iran, we do not have much of the main stream media helping us. Best case scenario, we are but a small drop of Antidote against the poisonous waves of propaganda. It will not change much, unless there is more.
I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IAN MACLAREN’S QUOTE: “BE KIND, FOR EVERYONE YOU MEET ISFIGHTING A HARD BATTLE” TO WHICH I AGREE, HOWEVER, DON’T YOU BELIEVE THAT REFUGEES’ BATTLESARE AMONG THE TOUGHEST ONES?
To be very honest with you, I consider myself a tough person, yet I have been broke down many times during the first 4 years of my life as a refugee in Germany. “Hard” can not even describe the situation sometimes. Yet I know many other refugees were not even as lucky as me to stay in a city like Hamburg. To lose your homeland, your family and friends, your childhood, your past and overall, a part of your identity, is not an easy matter to deal with.
REZA BROJERDI PORTRAYED A VERY PASSIONATE POUYA, WAS HE A REFUGEE AS WELL?
I was lucky to work with a fantastic Cast and Crew. Reza as the main character, had a very hard job to do and I think he did it beautifully. Although he was not a refugee and he was raised in Germany, but he was so passionate about the film, and more importantly about the message of the film, that he put everything in it and this film was not possible without his well done job. This was our first project together, but I am sure it would not be the last. As it goes with the rest of the cast, Nazmi, Fatima, Roxana, Ramin, Badassar and others were all very professional and also kind enough to work with me on this film in the harder than usual situations created by Covid and I am more really proud of their job.