Two Q/A’s with writer director Lila Yomtoob

Two Q/A’s with writer director Lila Yomtoob

Thank you to Karmel Melamed at the Jewish Journal and Ed Moy at the The Examiner for profiling America 1979 in celebration of the film’s screening at The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. The Jewish Journal article was shared over 300 times on Facebook!

From The Jewish Journal on reactions to the film:

When I was fundraising for this film, I had a few older Iranian Americans get mad at me, literally scold me, for wanting to make this film. This reaction was just as important as younger people telling me that they wish they knew more about what their parents went through, because no one talks about it. Not to mention the people who thanked me for telling this story, because it isn’t talked about. Clearly, it needs to be talked about! All of these reactions inspired me to make this film, hoping that people would talk. Or at least allow themselves to feel.

From The Examiner on recreating the 1970s:

Making a period piece on a limited budget is dicey. If the details aren’t there, it ruins the story world. The home we filmed in hadn’t been renovated since 1978, and it had wonderful shag carpets and wood paneling. We made a very American home feel like an Iranian American home with Persian rugs, silver antiques and peacock feathers.

Read more by clickong on the links above!