Interview with Milad Tangshir, Director of the Film ‘Anywhere, Anytime’: A Story of Migration and Cinema in Italy

Introduction: The presence of Iranian directors in Europe and elsewhere has become increasingly noticeable, and their numbers continue to grow day by day. These directors either started their careers in Iran and then sought opportunities for further advancement in the West, or due to social conditions and excessive censorship in their country, were forced to emigrate. One of the most famous examples over the past 35 years is Amir Naderi. The latest example is Mohammad Rasoulof, who secretly left the country to complete post-production in Germany. With this film, he entered the Cannes 2024 competition for the first time and won the Special Jury Prize. He is currently based in Germany.

Some other filmmakers have started their careers outside of Iran, such as Ali Abbasi, Alireza Khatami, and others. One of the most recent ones is Milad Tangshir, who studied cinema in Italy and then started filmmaking. His first feature film was selected for the “Venice International Critics’ Week” and was immediately accepted into the Toronto Film Festival. The Venice Festival runs from August 28th to September 7th, and the Toronto Festival starts on September 5th.

The Film’s Story: The film is about Issa, a young Senegalese immigrant who illegally arrives in Turin, Italy. One day, out of fear of the police, his employer fires Issa. Later, with the help of a friend, he buys a bicycle on an installment plan to deliver fast food anywhere, anytime in his new job. But this is just the beginning of the story, until one day, his bicycle—his primary means of livelihood—is stolen. Yet, he does not give up…

After watching the film, we spoke with the director.

Mamad Haghighat, UniversalCinema Magazine (UM): What would you name this film in Persian?

Milad Tangshir (MT): I didn’t have a specific suggestion. The translation that has been used on Persian-language sites seems good to me. Issa must deliver ready-made food anywhere, anytime, to survive in any situation. This is written on the bag he carries the food with. In fact, this is a story for any place, anytime, and this incident could happen anywhere.

(UM): Based on this, can we say that you, as a director, can make a film anywhere, anytime as well?

(MT): (The director chuckles) Yes, indeed—this could be our story! Many of these immigrants have tried various ways to do something, and those who have engaged in artistic endeavors have drawn attention.

(UM): Did you start filmmaking in Iran?

(MT): No, I started in Italy in 2011. Previously, in Iran, I had a music band with friends and made three underground albums, but we faced difficulties. I have been interested in cinema since childhood. Later, I came to Italy. However, from 2000 to 2010, I was involved in other activities. Here, I studied cinema, and a few months later, I managed to make a short film by borrowing a camera from the university. I found it interesting and sold my musical instruments to buy filmmaking equipment. I eventually earned a cinema degree from the University of Turin.

(UM): Why did you choose Italy for education and other purposes?

(MT): I have been interested in Italy since childhood. My father loved cinema and had a film archive at home—he would watch film cassettes, mostly Italian works and neorealism. He watched films by Marcello Mastroianni, Sophia Loren, and others. I had the chance to grow up with this cinema. I felt that Italian culture was close to ours.

(UM): What were your initial short films about?

(MT): They were about my parents. When I returned to Iran, I filmed them and their daily lives near Damavand with a camera I had bought. Later, when I edited them, I found it interesting. At first, I considered it a personal archive, but I submitted it to a festival in Italy, and it was accepted, earning a special diploma. Later in Italy, I made a film about immigrants coming from several European countries via the Balkans in a documentary style. When I returned to Iran in 2017, I made a film in the Kurdish region, where an earthquake had occurred.

(UM): It seems that it took several years to secure the funding for your first feature film. Is that correct?

(MT): Yes, it took six years. When I first came up with the idea, I got to know a young Senegalese man who delivered food by bicycle. I spent the entire summer with him, moving around. When I wanted to make a transition from documentary filmmaking to fiction, I was afraid. So, I thought I should closely observe the nuances of that character’s life—feel him, gain a better understanding, and so on. Now, I can say I’m satisfied with my work.

(UM): Since your film is about immigrants’ lives, the question arises: Why would an Iranian focus on an African immigrant instead of, say, an Iranian one?

(MT): It doesn’t matter; the tragedy and troubles of an immigrant are quite similar. What I saw in Italy, and what was constantly in front of my eyes, were these African immigrants who make up about 80 percent of the immigrants in Italy. Of course, what you mentioned could be true; it might have attracted more attention from producers if it were about Iranians. But I don’t like to be labeled, as an Iranian, I have to make films about Iranians. I believe a person’s passport shouldn’t dictate what they should or shouldn’t create. We should have the freedom to make films about what we like and feel.

(UM): In your film, there seems to be an atmosphere reminiscent of Amir Naderi’s Runner. Throughout the film, we see Issa constantly running and striving to achieve something, and even the use of the bicycle and other elements creates these similarities. On the other hand, there is a kind of homage to Vittorio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves, which could be interesting for Italians.

(MT): You pointed out some interesting aspects, and you’re completely right. Of course, Amir Naderi’s film is one of the masterpieces of Iranian cinema. However, I didn’t pay attention to this while making the film.

(UM): You might know that the first time Runner was screened internationally was in 1985 at the Venice Film Festival in the Volpi Hall, where it had two limited screenings. And now that your film is also making its world premiere at the Venice Festival, it’s an interesting coincidence. It’s also interesting that one of the film’s investors is Italy’s Channel 3, which supports art and experimental films.

(MT): Yes, I was lucky that the Italian producer who was in charge of the film’s work managed to involve them. Throughout the process of making and finalizing the film, the total budget reached around 1.5 million euros. Channel 3 invests in many auteur films—both documentaries and narratives—every year, without which Italian cinema wouldn’t be able to produce them.

(UM): There are some good scenes in the film that caught my attention, such as in the church, or when he meets that girl whom he later carries on his bicycle—not delivering fast food, but emotional and spiritual nourishment. Another scene is when he enters the Italian elderly woman’s house to help her. Here, the camera enters the private lives of ordinary people in that country, and we get to know a different layer of them, and so on.

(MT): Thank you for your attention.

(UM): When will the film be released in Italy?

(MT): It is scheduled for a public release starting September 11th , a few days after the end of the Venice Festival.

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