The director and producer Hesam Eslami was born in Ahwaz, Iran in 1982 and received a BFA and MA in cinema from the Tehran University of Art. His work focuses on juvenile offenders and social harms.
What was your starting point for „Dar band“?
How cruel a punishment it is when the lives of citizens are constantly watched. When the state uses every tool of control, it transforms observation into a method of domination. With technology’s rapid advancement, the boundaries of freedom shrink, and the weight of authority presses down even harder. Yet, even within this vast machinery of surveillance, there are always those who choose, in a moment of rebellion, to resist their own subjugation and break the rules of the game. The instant when the first spark of defiance ignites against the established order—when the instruments of control begin to fail—becomes, for me, a moment of radiant hope. This film started and inspired from observing that shiny moment of hope.
Do you have a favorite moment in the film? Which one and why this one in particular?
The moment I love most is when the girl sees the camera and, instead of running away, fixes her gaze on it. Surveillance cameras are meant to remain hidden, designed to observe without being seen, like silent agents of power watching citizens without consent. By confronting the camera and refusing to turn away, the girl disrupts the balance of control. She does not know who is behind the lens or how the images might affect her life. But she chooses not to be afraid. Her unwavering gaze—directed at something unknown—becomes her only weapon. In that act, she makes the camera visible, giving it a human quality. Once revealed, the camera loses its invulnerability. Now exposed, it becomes something fragile, something that can be fought. In this reversal, it is the watcher who now feels fear.
What do you like about the short form?
The short film offers freedom from the demands of cost, profit, and investor expectations. It is a space free from the pressures of commodification, allowing me as a filmmaker to construct my own style and play with new ideas. In this realm, cinema becomes an experience of art rather than a product of utility. In short films, failure does not exist. The act of creation itself is a triumph—an affirmation of artistic freedom.
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PRESS REVIEWS
„This short film by Iranian filmmaker Hesam Eslami explores the uncomfortable experience of being constantly under surveillance by his government. The film attempts to flip the table or those surveying, creating a tense situation in society.“
mention by Faisal Al Zaabi for The National
„Complemented by eerie music, uncomfortable close-ups of computer systems whirring and spooky black-and-white CCTV footage, this is an assured look at the banality of total state control.“
review by Redmond Bacon for Journey into Cinema
„Aber auch mit Their Eyes und Dar band sind zwei brillante Filme im Programm, welche die Überwachung und Kontrolle durch Technologie sowie die Beziehung zwischen Globalem Norden und Süden im KI-Entwicklungsprozess thematisieren und damit einen starken Bezug zu aktuellen Entwicklungen aufweisen.“
mention by Peter Bratenstein for zeitgeschichte online
„Obwohl der Film in Teheran gedreht wurde, hätte er in fast jeder anderen Stadt der Welt spielen können. Seine Hauptaussage, dass ein Überwachungsapparat Instabilität verrät und eine solche Situation nicht andauern kann, ist ebenfalls universell.“
review by Isabel Roy & Verena Nees for World Socialist Web Site
„[…] 20 Shorts in fünf Programmblöcken, die das Spektrum aktueller Themen und Ästhetiken abbilden. Das reicht von Animationsfilmen wie „Comment ca va?“, in dem eine Gruppe von Tieren versucht, Lösungen für die Probleme der Gegenwart zu finden, über den fiktionalen „Casi septiembre“, der von einer alles verändernden Sommerliebe auf einem Campingplatz erzählt, bis zum iranischen Dokumentarfilm „Dar band“, in dem sich Menschen mithilfe moderner Technologien gegen Überwachung und Unterdrückung zur Wehr setzen.“
mention by Thomas Abeltshauser for Berliner Morgenpost (Paywall)
reactions on letterboxd
Berlinale Shorts 