Iranian digital film-making, which has emerged and developed since 2000 in the Iranian cinematic context, mainly follows a trend based on the nature of new media. However, this trend is subject to fluctuation because of specific aspects of Iranian cinema. In addition, due to the realistic cinematic culture of Iran and the presence of Iranian neorealism film-makers, we face the emergence of a new kind of film-making which has certain international effects in world cinema. These film-makers have found a new method to approach reality and represent it in their films. On the other hand, this new cinematic reality contains more elements from a representation of reality than the analogue one, due to the power of digital cameras and technology. In this research, firstly I investigate the emergence of digital film-making in Iran, which may be unique to some extent compared to other parts of world cinema, and I show the gradual development of this phenomenon up to 2013. This investigation will reveal which parts of Iranian cinema have undergone the most changes. In the next steps, I focus on Iranian neorealism (Iranian art house cinema) and also on Iranian big-budget films. In the former, I focus on changes in the ‘representation of reality’, which I argue is the main characteristic of this mode, and in the latter I show the newly established relationship between governmental desire and the new digital special effects. Thus, I believe I will cover most of the changes that have been occurring in Iranian cinema due to the digitalisation process.

Iranian film has in recent decades comprised an increasingly important and influential cinema. The Iranian Islamic Revolution of 1979 paved the way for freedom of artistic and literary expression, communicating a new generation of unheard voices in Iranian society. More specifically Iranian cinema has progressed in maintaining an identity that reflects both a contemporary nation and auteuristic cinematics. Abbas Kiarostami is one of the more recent and leading film directors rewarded with critical and filmmaking acclaim out of Iran, producing contemporary snapshots of society and culture. His filmmaking methods and ideals are very much reflective of the style of post Second World War Italian Neorealism. In context and filmmaking principles Kiarostami adapts the conventions of Neorealism in exploring contemporary Iranian socio-cultural problems in a similar manner. This project aims to explore the relationship between the style and context of his filmmaking in terms of mise-en-scène, themes and socio-cultural concerns. It shows how Kiarostami creates a distinctive form of Neorealist filmmaking to get at the ‘truths’ of contemporary Iranian life in a particular way. In doing so an emergent strand of a modern-Neorealism becomes apparent.

Uppsatsen beskriver den moderna iranska filmens utveckling med utgångspunkt från några betydande iranska filmer i det iranska samhället. Syftet är att belysa vilka neorealistiska drag som präglar den iranska filmen under olika tidsperioder och vilket inflytande den italienska neorealismen har haft på den iranska filmen från 1960-talet fram till idag. Tre iranska filmer analyseras ur ett neorealistiskt perspektiv samt med utgångspunkt i narrationsteori. Utvecklingen av den digitala tekniken under 2000-talets första decennier lyfts fram som en viktig faktor för unga filmare i dagens Iran liksom betydelsen av iranska filmregissörers internationella framgångar. Resultatet av undersökningen visar att de neorealistiska dragen i iransk film inte är lika framträdande idag som de har varit en gång i tiden. Iransk film har utvecklats i likhet med filmen i övriga världen och har kommit långt från den tid då neorealistisk film spelade en viktig roll i landet.