Zero Days: Iran Makes Headlines on the Seventh Day of Berlinale

The screening of an exposé documentary on the seventh day of the Berlin Film Festival once again brought Iran's name to the forefront of this prestigious cinematic event. However, Iran's mention was not due to a film made by Iranian filmmakers, but rather because of the subject matter of the documentary "Zero Days," which reveals new dimensions of cyber attacks against Iran's nuclear facilities. The documentary "Zero Days" is directed by Alex Gibney, a renowned American documentary filmmaker and winner of several prestigious awards, including an Oscar for his documentary "Taxi to the Dark Side." Gibney's latest documentary critically addresses the topic of cyber attacks worldwide, focusing on the design and execution of the Stuxnet virus. The film features interviews with several former officials from the U.S. and Israeli governments, including Michael Hayden, the former head of the U.S. National Security Agency, and Yuval Steinitz, the former Israeli Minister of Intelligence. Additionally, some former and current U.S. security advisors have collaborated with this documentary. The most significant aspect is the information disclosed by certain employees of the U.S. National Security Agency and individuals identified in the film as colleagues and friends of Edward Snowden. This information includes previously unmentioned details about the collaboration between Israeli and American security agents in designing the Stuxnet virus and the date of its first use during the final days of George Bush's administration. The documentary also states that a similar virus called "Nitro Zeus" was on the verge of being used to incapacitate all of Iran's infrastructure but was shelved with the initiation of nuclear negotiations. Although the documentary clearly indicates that the U.S. and Israeli governments were involved in the design and use of the Stuxnet virus, none of the responsible officials from these two countries are willing to confirm this. The overall structure of "Zero Days," which has a sharp tone against the actions of U.S. and Israeli security officials, resembles television report documentaries, but the director distinguishes it from typical examples through effective segmentation and presentation of information, as well as the use of music and effective editing. The pacing of this documentary is as gripping as recent suspense films, keeping viewers engaged until the end in search of new revelations. The filmmakers have also employed some cinematic tricks. For instance, in line with the film's subject, they initially present a computer-generated image of someone who is said to be a U.S. National Security Agency employee to protect his identity, and later, in a surprising twist, reveal the face of this individual, stating that he is a professional actor playing the information in a simulated manner. No well-known figures from the former or current Iranian government appear in this documentary, and only Emad Kiai, a member of the Iranian American Council, comments on Iran's performance. The film's director stated in a press conference after the documentary's screening in Berlin that despite his repeated requests, none of the Iranian officials were willing to comment on this documentary and had also rejected his request to visit Iran. He also expressed his interest in the possibility of screening his documentary in Iran. Concurrently with the screening of the headline-making films in the competition section, the process of screening Iranian films present in other sections of the Berlin Festival continues. In addition to the film "Lantouri," which has been screened three times in the Berlinale Panorama section, two representatives from Iran in the Generations section, the social drama "Valderama" and the documentary "Dreams of Dawn," have each been screened twice by Thursday. The screenings of these films, like "Lantouri," have been well received by audiences. "Valderama" is the debut film of a young filmmaker named Abbas Amini, which is being screened for the first time in Berlin without a prior showing in Iran. This film is about a 15-year-old boy without an identity document who resembles the famous Colombian footballer Carlos Valderrama. Despite his love for football, during an unintended journey from Abadan to Tehran, he is forced to engage in illegal activities such as street vending in the subway and on the streets. Throughout the story, viewers embark on a journey into the lives of the underprivileged classes of today's Tehran and witness lesser-seen anomalies. The filmmaker's perspective in narrating his story is realistic and at times shocking, making it a distinctive work in the realm of films related to youth issues in Iranian cinema. The documentary "Dreams of Dawn" also focuses on several underage delinquent girls under 18 who are held in a correctional center in Tehran. This documentary, which has had very successful screenings in Iran, attempts to examine the problems of its characters from a sociological perspective with an impactful look at their lives. Mehrdad Eskuei, the director of this documentary, is considered one of the prominent names in this genre of filmmaking in Iran. On Thursday, the film "The Dragon Arrives" by Mani Haqiqi will be screened as the last film in the competition section of the Berlin Festival. With the screening of this film, the presence of Iranian films in this edition of the Berlin Festival will be completed.