Monica Bellucci To Star In 'Persian Cats' Director Bahman Ghobadi's Next Pic 'Rhinos Season'

by Kevin Jagernauth
February 24, 2011 5:12 AM
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Film Will Also Star Famed Iranian Actor Behrouz Vossoughi

If you didn't see Bahman Ghobadi's latest effort, "No One Knows About Persian Cats," we definitely urge you to seek it out. It was a wonderful, moving little picture about an indie rock duo who struggle to remain inspired and creative under the strict laws in Tehran. We caught it during its festival run a couple of years ago at the Festival Du Nouveau Cinema in Montreal -- you can check out our review here -- and we're heartened to learn that the director's next effort has landed an international star, and is likely to boost his profile.

Variety reports that Monica Bellucci is set to star in "Rhinos Season"; details on the plot are scarce at the moment. Vaguely described as a "political film," it will be a decades-spanning tale and love story, with Bellucci playing an Iranian woman. She will be joined by exiled Iranian actor Behrouz Vossoughi.

Production is set to gear up next month in Turkey with Menderes Demir producing. And now is as good a time as any to remind people like Criterion or IFC that Ghobadi's acclaimed "A Time For Drunken Horses" is still not on DVD. Someone needs to get on that.