Film Programme
THE POTTERY'S TALE
animation
Iran, 2008, 08'34
Director: Maryam Bayani
Producer: Reza Mosadegh
Writer: Maryam Bayani
Animation: Maryam Bayani
Composer: Maryam Bayani
Editor: Maryam Bayani
Synopsis: Maryam Bayani's animated film, The Pottery Tale 2008, uses what she identifies as the 'motion potential' in patterns on prehistoric pottery from different regions of the Iran Plateau (about 165 different pieces), then animates the motifs to music by Shir-mohammad Espandar (inspired by the folk music of Baluchistan). Movement is suggested in different ways, for example, two positions of the motif of a group dancing helped the filmmaker to recreate a type of ancient dance. In other cases, the motion extrapolates from a single image its reference to a story or symbol: 'A good example here is the story of the growth of plants from ox’s blood and the symbolic concept of the antler, representing a plant, which made a relationship between the hunter, ox, deer and plant to create a scene manifesting life coming out of the death'.
Director: Maryam Bayani
Maryam Bayani, born in Tehran 1982, was graduated in both Graphic Design and Animation for her BA and MA, consecutively, from Tehran University, Fine Arts Faculty, and Art University, Cinema & Theatre Faculty. As firstly interested in character design, she started with caricature and kept exhibiting her works for about two years; some of her works were selected in Tolentino and Tehran Caricature biennials. She also experienced different styles in drawing which influenced her illustrations. Focusing much more in ancient Iranian arts, she discovered a powerful perpetual source of inspiration; the collection of Reza Abbasi museum (corporate Identity) was the first appearance of this orientation in her works. The pottery Tale, her first recognized animation, is a developed version of her BA practical thesis under supervision of Dr. Nouredin Zarrinkelk, Iranian pioneer artist, which was presented as her MA practical dissertation shows her deep inclination to her native art thoroughly.