Book Club Program

Introduction

• The program begins with a discussion about cinema and literature.
• Special guest: the head of Nekt publishing and magazine.
• Famous quote from Dostoevsky about Gogol: "We all came out from Gogol's overcoat."
• Discussion on finding the cinematic equivalent of Hitchcock's impact.
• Alfred Hitchcock highlighted as a great storyteller through cinema.

Guest Introduction: Mr. Masoud Farasati

• Long absence from television, present only due to interest in books.
• Reminder of the first meeting in the library 20 years ago.

Discussion on Literature and Cinema

• Literature is considered more important than cinema.
• Deeper connection of literature with human experience
  • Helps us understand ourselves and our world better.
  • Unique ability in imagination and visualization.
• Classic literature (Dostoevsky, Chekhov, etc.) as a foundation for understanding.
• Imagination and storytelling are the core of human experience.

Form and Content

• The magazine Form and Path covers cinema and literature.
• The role of literature in describing human experiences more effectively than other media.
• Importance of storytelling in human life, as drawn from Scheherazade's stories.

Role of Literature

• Literature enriches imagination and human connection.
• Rhythm and movement of the story are central to narrative appeal.

Reading and Writing

• Importance of reading classics (Dostoevsky, Hemingway, etc.)
• Writing techniques: the importance of life experience for authentic storytelling.
• Recommendations for reading literature to understand form and movement.

Iranian Cinema

• Discussion on the lack of change in Iranian cinema.
• Challenges of translating literature into cinema.
• Different media have unique forms and purposes.
• Example of Kurosawa in adapting Shakespeare.

Final Thoughts

• Encouragement to read books and engage with literature.
• Importance of classic literature in shaping human understanding.
• Personal memories about the power of literature and storytelling.