Golazin ardestani biography of abraham
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She taught herself to yodel as a child and grew up in a house filled with a mix of the traditional Persian music favoured by her parents, and the Iranian and Western pop smuggled in by her older siblings, whose musical preferences were inspired by their desire for freedom.
“My teenage years were full of those stolen moments listening to forbidden songs on satellite,” she told Index over email.
They relented.
For every performance Ardestani gives, another song in Iran is silenced. She was arrested on 25 July 2024, and it is believed that she has not been heard from since.
Ardestani is a huge admirer of Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, who won an Index Freedom of Expression Award in 2023. She has performed on major international stages-from the O2 in London to Scotiabank Arena in Toronto and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., bringing her powerful voice to audiences around the world.
Deeply passionate about performance, she is known for her love of the stage, her character-driven performances, and her compelling portrayals of emotionally layered, socially resonant, and complex characters.
No female musician can go on stage tonight.”
She stood at the side of the stage and watched her friends perform without her, clutching the formal permission papers which should have allowed her to sing, and which had been wilfully ignored. With the situation out of control, the police’s superior told her to go home in a taxi.
“All of this because of my ripped jeans, even though I was wearing a long manto [overcoat] and a scarf covering my hair.”
Ardestani considers herself lucky to have escaped alive.
This charge could carry a death sentence.
The songs she has finally had the freedom to create include Haghame, meaning “It’s My Right”, which is about the freedom to choose whether or not to wear the hijab. These actors bring to life complex, tormented characters caught between worlds and ideologies—each grappling with pain, hope, and the harsh realities of displacement.
The characters: Mojtaba and Jana
Mojtaba, played by Nima Sadr, is an Iranian expatriate living in Canada.
A woman shouted at her: “Shut up, close your mouth, shut your ugly voice!”
The last time she was arrested was particularly brutal and was due to the clothes she was wearing. Yet here I was, outside of Iran, being told by an organiser – of a concert for freedom, no less – that I couldn’t sing a song in a free country,” she said.
She told the male Iranian organisers that she would sing that song, or not sing at all.
In Iran, solo female singers are legally prohibited from recording, releasing, or performing music publicly, a restriction that ultimately forced her into exile. Gola is also the founder of Zan Recordings, a UK-based label dedicated to amplifying the voices of women in music and beyond.
This interview was conducted during the 78th Edinburgh International Film Festival, offering a unique opportunity to explore the profound themes and artistic choices behind “Mortician“.
And as she told Index, far from being afraid herself: “Those who wish to silence me should be the ones who are afraid.”
See also: Science in Iran: A catalyst for corruption
Golazin Ardestani, known internationally by her stage name Gola, is a British-Iranian actress, singer, and human rights activist.
But when I finally met him, he wouldn’t even look at me, staring at the floor as he spoke,” she said. Despite their differences, they find comfort and validation in each other’s company. “Iranian music is powerful and resilient; it’s the heartbeat of a people who have been silenced in many other ways. “Once I started singing freely, I would lose my home forever,” she said.
“We didn’t want Jana to become Gola, but the pain is the same. Ardestani adds that the bond between Jana and Mojdaba is significant because it reveals that no one is truly safe under the current Iranian regime. Her portrayal balances her own identity with the character’s despair, illustrating the universality of suffering under oppressive regimes.
Jana’s songs, composed by Ardestani herself, serve as powerful musical expressions of rebellion and hope.
This film stands out for its boldness in addressing the realities of exile and resistance, shedding light on struggles often hidden from view and giving voice to those fighting for freedom from afar.
“Mortician” and the themes of exile and resistance
Abdolreza Kahani’s film “Mortician” explores the complex realities of exile and political resistance, weaving the stories of its characters into a compelling narrative that emphasizes resilience in the face of adversity.
Abdolreza Kahani carefully creates a tense atmosphere, using visual elements such as foggy windows, mirrors, and close-ups of smartphone screens—symbols of surveillance and distrust—that underscore the pervasive paranoia in exile communities.