If the World is Beautiful
Some things we read.
A roundup of what we read this week. franknews is committed to bringing quality information to the public — and remaining independent, ad-free, and accessible to everyone. To support us, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
NBC reported: “A proposal aimed at reducing fees and streamlining other processes in a bid to support filmmakers in Los Angeles was approved Tuesday by the Los Angeles City Council. The council's action directs several city departments to report in 30 days with recommendations to adjust city fees, permits, parking and security requirements for shooting on city-owned property and certifying new sound stages.” The proposal is an effort to reduce the “headwinds” that are causing production to leave Los Angeles and contribute to a lack of work. According reports in early April, regional activity for on-location filming in the Greater Los Angeles area declined by 22.4% in the first quarter of the year.
An essay by Arash Azizi on Iranian cinema — and art, and politics, and art in politics: “In Iran, there seems to be a perverse relationship between cinematic excellence and governmental cruelty. No, the cinematic community has not overthrown the government or changed things fundamentally. Nor are most Iranian films directly political or of the journalistic speak-truth-to-power kind. But those who demand that the artist pick up a bullhorn, or a machine gun, forget the roots of Iran’s cinematic triumph. Iranian films have countered a political regime bent on penetrating every aspect of life by centering a force of sheer humanity; by showing that there was more to life than slogans; by demonstrating that truth is not absolute. In a climate of hostility and repression, what has mattered is not what Iranian films do or say, but what they are…”
Writing in 1983, at the height of the bloodletting by the nascent Islamic Republic, a short poem by Ahmad Shamlou, addressing his oppressors, wonderfully encapsulates what art can be in the times of persecution:
I am a poison for you, without an antidote.
If the world is beautiful, it is singing my praises.
O you stupid man,
I am not your enemy,
I am your negation.
A sneak peek at one of our next interviews in our foreign intervention series —professor and author Samuel Moyn on "humane" forever wars: “Partly, but it’s important not to understate the electoral legitimation that the last three successful presidential candidates have gained by opposing war selectively. Barack Obama beat Hillary Clinton partly on this basis; shockingly at the time, Trump ascended against Republicans (and then beat Clinton again); and Joe Biden ran against the “forever war.” In my judgment, the forces for the perpetuation of war are not popular, but they are powerful. Yet we had lacked much interest in them outside far left and right circles until recently. The fear is that Putin’s intervention delays this confrontation for some further decades.”
RIP Pope Francis. Live updates on the conclave. We recommend reading our interview from earlier this month with Kevin Coleman and Sebastián Carassai, there’s really incredible historical context on the political importance of the Catholic Church and the Pope.
An essay by NYC City Council Member Chi Osse in ByLine: “When I was a college-dropout-club-promoter stumbling through the electric thrill of New York City nightlife, I never expected to spend my mid-20s negotiating local housing policy in the shadow of a fascist federal government. I cut my teeth in the dim glow of warehouse parties and neon‑lit dive bars—spaces where marginalized voices found sanctuary, where joy and resistance intertwined on sweaty dance floors. Those rooms taught me that culture is a living, breathing force: it organizes us, it emboldens us, and it defines who we are. The cultural sector is under attack. It’s also more equipped than most to fight back.”
An update from the LA fires — on the oceans: “Earlier this week, the public health department lifted its final wildfire-related ocean water advisory and declared that beaches in the burn area — from Las Flores State Beach to Santa Monica State Beach — are once again safe for swimming… Although the sediment itself is not chemically hazardous, beachgoers are still warned to beware of any physical debris that may lurk on the sand and in the water. This includes sharp objects such as burned branches, twisted metals, broken glass and rusted nails that could cause injury.”
Funny, sexy, and a bit weird — an article in The Guardian on lit parties: “‘As the reading ends and we move from one local pub to the next, a young man drunkenly confesses that ‘he doesn’t even enjoy the readings that much’ – he just comes to ‘meet the types of people who would enjoy it.’’’
We had one of our own this week — and more to come! Follow us on IG to hear about the next.
