‘It’s a good day to die’

At the end of the Iran-Iraq war, Yalda, a 33 year old filmmaker rediscovers, following a long absence, the house she inherited from her family. She imagines scenes from a film that she shot there before the war. Looking back over her life, she continues to film this biopic in her home and includes Mona in it. Mona left her hometown when the conflict broke out, and rents a room in Yalda’s house. As time passes, the house goes to rack and ruin and the two women wonder whether it really makes sense to want to stay there. Mona decides to move out but Yalda refuses through a desire to hang onto childhood memories that are indissociably linked to the place. The house ends up collapsing, bringing with it the death of Yalda.

Mixing images and stage business, this poignant work is a profound reflection on the meaning of life and the rediscovery of oneself through the other and the place.

Seyed Kamaleddin Hashemi (°1976) grew up in Chiraz, Iran. He is an author, actor, filmmaker and theatre director. In 1995 he joined the Mehr Theatre Group. In 2006 he wrote the play It’s a good day to die, about the Iran-Iraq war, but the play was censored. The earthquake in Bam inspired him to write Half-Open Doors. On Which Wind Will You Ride had its premiere in Fribourg in 2015 and has been performed in BOZAR in 2017.