To aid in the selection of videos for your class and research needs, we've created a large number of filmographies on many subject areas.
If you'd like help linking streaming videos to your Canvas Course Reserves or reserving DVDs for you or your students, please contact
mediaservices@american.edu
This is a selective list of video holdings in the American University Library. Filmographies are created by doing multiple keyword searches in the catalog to capture as many titles on a topic as possible.
For complete, up-to-date holdings please search the library catalog search box on the Media Services homepage. (http://www.american.edu/library/mediaservices/) Finding Aids on the same page includes other subject oriented content.
For more information take a look at the Streaming Video Guides and Browsing Collections.
See also - National Cinema: Iran
All the Shah's Men. 2009. 1 videodisc (84 min.). Stephen Kinzer discusses his book, All the Shahs men: An American coup and the roots of Middle East terror. He describes the involvement of Winston Churchill, Kermit Roosevelt, President Eisenhower, and the CIA in the 1953 coup in Iran, which installed Mohammed Reza as Shah in order to maintain British control over the Anglo-Iranian oil industry. DVD 5653
Bloody cartoons Freedom of expression & the clash of cultures. 2008. Why democracy? 1 videodisc (52 min.). "In 2005, a handful of Danish cartoons sparked a worldwide debate over freedom of expression--and the freedom to express religious outrage. Was a violent Islamic backlash against caricatures of the prophet Mohammed justified? Can democracy and fundamentalism coexist in the global community? This program travels to Lebanon, Iran, Syria, Qatar, and Turkey, as well as to France and Denmark, in search of answers. Viewers will encounter a wide array of perspectives from influential figures, such as Raed Hlayhel, the Danish Imam who moved to Lebanon to spearhead protests; Sheikh Yusef al-Qaradawi, the al-Jazeera Islamic televangelist who called for a 'day of anger' against the cartoons; and leading staff members of newspapers that published them."--Container. DVD 5700 and Streaming video.
Coverup behind the Iran Contra Affair. 1988. 1 videodisc (72 min.). An account of the first arms sale to Iran and the Reagan/Bush campaign's secret deal to torpedo Jimmy Carter in 1980. Discusses the shadow government of former CIA operatives, drug smugglers, top U.S. military personnel and others, and how their actions have impacted the course of history. Includes evidence of the history of CIA involvement in drug running from the Vietnam heroin era to the Central American cocaine epidemic. First- hand accounts of the bombing of the press conference in La Penca, Nicaragua, discussing who the assassins were and why American journalists were the real targets. Oliver North's plan to suspend the U.S. constitution and how it became a Reagan/Bush tool to protect an unpopular foreign policy. DVD 6949
The cult of the suicide bomber. 2006. 1 videodisc (96 min.). Former CIA agent and terrorism expert Robert Baer tracks the history of suicide bombers from their origin in the Iran-Iraq war to their growing predominance in the post-9/11 world. DVD 2241
A death in Tehran. 2010. 1 videodisc (60 min.). A death in Tehran: At the height of the protests following Iran's presidential election, a young woman named Neda Soltani was shot and killed on the streets of Tehran. Her death was filmed on a cameraphone, then uploaded to the web, quickly becoming an international outrage. Frontline investigates the life and death of the woman who remains a symbol for those wanting to keep the movement alive. Also unanswered questions in the aftermath of the greatest upheaval in Iran since the 1979 revolution are explored ; Uganda: out of the wild: From the wilds of Uganda's "Impenetrable Forest"-- home to the world's largest population of Mountain Gorillas, but also a hotbet for a number of deadly diseases that cross the species barrier from animals to human. DVD 6986
Grass a nation's battle for life. 1925. 1 videodisc (71 min.). A documentary in which Merian C. Cooper, Ernest Schoedsack, and Marguerite Harrison travel through Asia Minor and Iraq to reach a tribe of nomads in Iran known as the Bakhtyari. They follow the tribe on its forty-eight day trek across deserts, streams, and mountains to reach pasture for their flocks. These three people were the first Westerners to cross the Zardeh Kuh Pass and the first to make this migration with the tribes. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 7095
The green wave. 2011. 1 videodisc (80 min.). The elections in the summer of 2009 in Iran promised a taste of freedom for many, especially young voters who are dissatisfied with the government of incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. But he is re-elected - one accuses him of electoral fraud. The disappointment of the population is reflected in protests and demonstrations. Being bloodily suppressed by the army and police. DVD 9426
House is black = Khanah siyah ast. 1962. 1 videodisc (22 min.). This film about the leprosy colony in Tabriz, Iran is a compassionate portrait of forgotten people. Straightforward yet sympathetic, the film affords dignity to its subjects, particularly through Farrokhzad's striking poem read by the poet herself. The House Is Black has heavily influenced the modern Iranian cinema of such great filmmakers as Abbas Kiarostami and Mohsen Makhmalbaf, who called it "the best Iranian film." It provides, in the film's own words, "a vision of pain no caring human being should ignore." DVD 1434
Iran, a revolution betrayed. 1984. 1 videodisc (60 min.). A historical documentary on the emotional muddle of Iranian political and religious turmoil of recent years. Looks at the career of the Shah and the triumph of Khomeini. Shows how the revolution began to devour its own as liberals fought conservatives, national minorities were crushed, and the dissident were eliminated through secret trials and executions. DVD 5956
A jihad for love. 2007. 1 videodisc (81 min.). First feature documentary to explore the complex global intersections between Islam and homosexuality. The film travels a wide geographic arc, presenting lives from India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, South Africa and France. Always filming in secret and as a Muslim, Parvez makes the film from within the faith, depicting Islam with the same respect that the film's characters show for it. DVD 5640
Letters from Iran. 2004. 1 videodisc (33 min.). A moving account of an exile's return to his homeland. A series of letters written to a friend in America describe his homecoming and emotions. His reunion is joyous as well as sad for the longing of a vanished past. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 4313
Muslims. 2003. 1 videodisc (120 min.). Looks at what it means to be a Muslim in the 21st century. Filmed in Egypt, Malaysia, Iran, Turkey, Nigeria and the United States, this program explores the influence of culture and politics on religion, looks at the political forces at work among Muslims around the world, emphasizes Islam's kinship with Christianity and Judaism, and examines the diverse interpretations of Islam among the Muslim people. DVD 1637
No vacancy global responses to the human population explosion. 2005. 1 videodisc (92 min.). An examination of strategies to deal with human overpopulation in the U.S., Europe, India, Nigeria, Ghana, Indonesia, Iran and Mexico. DVD 5565 and Streaming video.
Rick Steves' Iran. 2009. 1 videodisc (60 min.). Join Rick as he explores the most surprising and fascinating land he's ever visited: Iran. In this one hour special, you'll discover the splendid monuments of Iran's past, learn more about the 20th century story of this nation, and experience Iranian life today in its historic capital and in the countryside village. You'll also meet the people of Iran. DVD 5626
Shahrbanoo. 2008. 1 videodisc (87 min.). Shahrbanoo: The filmmakers capture their shared encounter of an American woman with a strictly-conservative Iranian family. Wife and husband team Melissa and Hamid, after arriving at her mother-in-law's house, are befriended by Shahrbanoo, housekeeper to the filmmaker's family, and who invites Melissa to a family gathering. Living in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Tehran, Shahrbanoo (Farsi for "Matriarch") introduces Melissa to an intense cultural exchange about subjects ranging from women's place in society to American foreign policy. The film depicts a range of marked differences that nonetheless are accompanied by a deeper layer of commonalities allowing connections across cultural gulfs. DVD 6394
Shi'ism waiting for the hidden Imam. 2005. 1 videodisc. Adherents of Shi'ism comprise less that ten percent of the more than one billion Muslims in the world today, but ever since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, with its indelible images of blindfolded hostages seized at the American Embassy in Tehran, Shi'ism has been perceived by most Westerners as a religious sect characterized by violence and fanaticism. The ouster of Saddam Hussein in 2003 and the continuing U.S. occupation of Iraq have led to a resurgence of Shia political activity after decades of oppression by Saddam's Sunni-dominated regime, providing Shi ism with newfound political influence as well as an opportunity to improve its image. This film discusses the history of Shi'ism, its origins, mythology of martyrdom, the centuries of perscution and discrimination of Shi'ism as a minority faith, and its basic tenets including the belief in the twelfth, or 'hidden' Imam, who will appear on the Last Day as the Mahdi. Filmed in Iran, Lebanon and Iraq, this film interweaves contemporary and historical footage, and introduces Muslim scholars, philosophers, writers, politicians and religious leaders discussing a wide range of issues. DVD 781
Shirin Ebadi a simple lawyer. 2004. 1 videodisc (57 min.). This documentary profiles Iranian attorney Shirin Ebadi, who was awarded the Nobel peace Prize in 2003. Shirin Ebad - a simple lawyer features an in-depth interview with Ebadi conducted in her Tehran office, speeches at numerous international conferences, and a visit to the children's center she founded. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 1956
Showdown with Iran. 2007. 1 video file (54 min.). As the United States and Iran are locked in a battle for power and influence across the Middle East -- with the fear of an Iranian nuclear weapon looming in the background -- FRONTLINE gains unprecedented access to Iranian hard-liners shaping government policy, including parliament leader Hamid Reza Hajibabaei, National Security Council member Mohammad Jafari and state newspaper editor Hossein Shariatmadari. In this report that focuses on the tumultuous U.S.-Iran relations since 9/11, FRONTLINE examines how U.S. efforts to install democracy in Iraq have served to strengthen Iran's position as an emerging power in the Middle East--Publisher. Streaming video.
Ten. 2002. 1 videodisc (90 min.). A portrait of contemporary Iran, as seen through the eyes of one woman as she drives through the streets of Tehran over a period of several days. Her journey is comprised of ten conversations with various female passengers, and shed light on the lives of these women whose voices are seldom heard. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 1336
They call me Muslim a documentary. 2006. 1 videodisc (27 min.). Two contrasting profiles of Muslim women who have made opposite decisions about wearing the traditional Muslim headgear, the Hijab. One in France has chosen to wear the Hijab in defiance of French Law. The other skirts the law in Iran, by wearing it as little as possible. DVD 5049
This is not a film. 2011. 1 videodisc (77 min.). This clandestine documentary, shot partially on an iPhone and smuggled into France in a cake for a last-minute submission to Cannes, depicts the day-to-day life of acclaimed director Jafar Panahi (Offside, The Circle) during his house arrest in his Tehran apartment. While appealing his sentence, six years in prison and a 20 year ban from filmmaking, Panahi is seen talking to his family and lawyer on the phone, discussing his plight with Mirtahmasb. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 11050
Zendegi va digar hich = Life and nothing more. 1991. 1 videodisc (95 min.). After the earthquake of Guilan, the film director and his son, Puya, travel to the devastated area to search for the actors of the movie the director made there a few years ago, Khane-ye Doust Kodjast? (1987). In their search, they found how people who had lost everything in the earthquake still have hope and try to live life to the fullest. DVD 8247