Restless Yearning (بی قرار)

It has been almost two decades since the end of the Iran-Iraq war -- the longest war of the 20th century after Vietnam. More than 213,000 people were killed costing the nation many generation of youths and damaging Iran's heritage. When we think of this tragedy, it is generally through a political scope. Rarely is the human aspect addressed and we seldom hear about the tears that have been shed by everyday Iranians who have been touched by the war.

In the same way, singer and composer Mamak Khadem's foundation is rooted in Persian tradition, while her music speaks to a broad and global audience. She has worked hard to blend the beauty of Iran's musical heritage with contemporary instrumentation and vocals to create a unique and modern sound.

The primary purpose of this video is to combine these two ideas --the impact of war and Mamak Khadem's fusion of traditional and contemporary music -- in order to achive a new cultural context: a medium that represents this music beyond the barriers of glamour and elegance meanwhile sharing a non-political point of view from this story.

This music video is a tale about those who sacrificed for the nation and the longing suffered by those who loved them. Although the story focuses on Iran's war, the emotions and losses are timeless and universal. It is in the memory of all of them.

Credits:

Vocal:
Mamak Khadem

Arrangement:
Jamshid Sharifi

Cast:
Fâtemeh Mo'tamed Arya

Choreographer and Dancer:
Mehdi Sâki

Screenplay, Editing and Director:
Samad Khatibi

Feb. 2009