Googoosh: Made of Fire

A moving and inspiring portrait of a resilient artist, blending triumph and sorrow with archival riches.

Directed by

Niloufar Taghizadeh

Genres

Documentary, Music

Starring

Googoosh, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Aref Arefkia

Overview

On stage since she was a toddler, Googoosh has been an icon of Iranian pop culture since the 1970s. Her progressive style and raw singing talent attracted worldwide acclaim and saw her performing alongside the likes of Tina Turner and Ray Charles. But the star's career came to an abrupt halt after the Islamic Revolution, which banned women from singing in public. Googoosh was placed under house arrest, where she remained for the next two decades. Niloufar Taghizadeh's documentary, which includes interviews with the charismatic singer (now in her seventies, but still performing and advocating for women and girls) and arresting archival footage, offers both a loving portrait of a national icon and a fascinating historical and cultural record of Iran.

How it feels

Melancholic, uplifting, earnest and tense. Measured and needs your attention.

About

Identity, freedom, politics, music

Content

Mild violence and language. No gore or sexual content.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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