Really? It is clear that she is not from Iran and instead she is Latina. Im not saying she's a bad actress or anything, but if the whole premise of the film is Sharhzad fleeing from Iran, they could at least cast the main actress better. Im just sick of seeing Persian characters in films being portrayed by anyone other than a Persian actor. It doesnt help people who think the only characteristics of Middle Easterns are dark hair and dark eyes.
shareI agree. Hollywood thinks all Brown people are interchangeable. It's a racist form of casting.
The best things are last
I completely agree :)
shareFeb :)
I agree. Hollywood thinks all Brown people are interchangeable. It's a racist form of casting.
Wonderful post.
shareDear Feburarydreams:
Thanks for your concern. Please read long reply posted to ShirinF333's message.
Re "it's a racist form of Casting" we don't wish to be argumentative nor to upset you but actually the cast includes several nationalities and religions, including 4 Persian/Iranians and 1 Persian-speaking Afghani...
The Iranian cast includes the highly popular comedian and actor MAX AMINI who plays Sean, Sharzad's husband. Max is as much loved by Iranians in and out of Iran, as his colleague the top Iranian Standup Comedian MAZ JOBRANI. Maz is a friend of this film's Writer/Director. He was also on short list to play Shahrzad's husband.
Beyond Paradise is a true independent cross cultural poetic love story that Hollywood refused to distribute. Digital Online and TV distribution is by MarVista, an independent distributor. Let's be fair and not prejudge the film by false assumptions and wrongful conspiracy theories.
See the whole film- perhaps you'd appreciate its love poems, romance, songs music, and cultural references. Plus, the theme of violent repression of women...
The Director in an exclusive interview with top Iranian events/new site Kodoom.com, explains how he earnestly searched for an Iranian actress to play Shahrzad, the female lead role, but he did not succeed: "As in other recent films (with much higher budgets) with Iranian themes such as ROSEWATER and DESERT DANCER, for logistical, budget and security reasons, eventually a non-Iranian had to be cast to play Shahrzad." The filmmakers could not get an experienced Iranian actress who could match Ryan Guzman to commit to playing Shahrzad during the several times delayed final scheduled shooting of the film.
Also starring are Francia Raisa (The Secret Life of The American Teenager), Daphne Zuniga (Spaceballs, Melrose Place, One Tree Hill), Misha Crosby, Yareli Arizmendi (Like Water For Chocolate, A Day Without a Mexican), Rome Shadanloo (A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night), Kira Soltanovich (popular comedian as herself), Mel Fair, Christopher Maleki and Ali Olomi.
Rumi's love poems are vocalized by Iranian singer/pianist RANA MANSOUR accompanied by the renowned composer/pianist Erwin Khachikian. Rimsky Korsakov's Shéhérazade (composed in 1888) and Tchaikovsky's classical music are used in the score of the film. The score also features original Persian music compositions by the Iranian professor, composer,musician Houman Pourmehdi and Pirayeh Pourmehdi, with vocals by the Iranian singer Fereshteh Dehghani.
The film is Executive Produced by GILL HOLLAND, a well known Norwegian-American producer of over 100 independent films, including the first ever Triple Awards Sundance winner.
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Actually, I thought she was of Middle Eastern descent when I saw her on tv awhile back. Something about her features look that way.
________
Yes, that's me, Little Miss Lee.
Thank you Little Miss Lee.
Yes, that's one of the reasons, Francia Raisa was cast as Shahrzad. Perhaps like Mexican-Lebanses SALMA HAYEK and Columbian-Lebanese SHAKIRA, Francia, too, may have some Middle Eastern blood in her background.
In fairness to Francia Raisa she was the number 10 replacment of other actresses selected out of some 100 Iranian, Middle Eastern, Latin-American, Indian-American actresses who enthusiatically auditioned to play the much-coveted role of Shahrzad.
In the end the other 9 dropped out because their managers got them roles which paid a lot more than our low SAG- Screen Actors Guild- minimum budget could afford.
Francia was cast in the 11th hour, literally 6 days before the already several times delayed final scheduled shoot day. So she had literally less than a week to study her complex character, learn how to play the piano- both Persian and Tchaikovsky classical music, learn Farsi/Persian accent and learn how to sing (or at least lip sing) RUMI's ecstatic love songs in Farsi/Persian. It was too much to expect from any actress.
Much appreciate your feedback and support of cross-cultural, low-budget non-Hollywood independent films.
Beyond Paradise is now available on Digital HD and On Demand at: Amazon Instant Video, ITunes, Google Play, TWC - Time Warner Cable, DirecTV, Verizon, Comcast Xfinity [featured in‘Indie Film Club’ collection], VUDU, Cox, AT&T U-Verse, iNDEMAND (nationwide aggregator), Charter, Vimeo On Demand, Vubiquity (nationwide aggregator), Xinfinity Online. (Netflix to come soon.)
The Filmmakers.
Agreed. I'm pretty sure Hollywood has its share of actors that are from the Middle East that are under utilized. Although I really like Francia, it threw me off when I saw that she was supposed to be from Iran.
shareIt's true. I mean I like her and she's a good actor. But yes, it's not like there's a shortage of Iranian actresses.
shareDon't we have an embargo on actresses from Iran?
I shall call him Squishy and he shall be mine and he shall be my Squishy.
Dear ShirinF333:
Following up our reply to your 1st message above, of the 2 Iranian actresses who wee right to play Shahrazd and chemistry-wise match the already booked RYAN GUZMAN for the film's several times delayed final shooting schedule, when all other principal cast and all our locations (all real locations we rented, not studios) were also available, this is what happened:
The 1st LA-based actress loved the role but her Hollywood manager/agent decided Shahrzad Iranian role wasn't good for her career. (Unofficial bigger reason: the commission was way too small for our SAG (Screen Actors Guild) approved absolute minimum budget.
The 2nd Paris-based actress is well-known top Iranianin Diaspora. She would have been awesome 100% perfect to play the role. For this talented and stunning actress, the producers would have raised funds to pay for her travel and hotel stay and a also an expert lawyer to get a SAG waiver for a non-American to play Shahrzad. Sadly she;s always booked well in advance. She was not available for our final shoot schedule.
Of course professional and gifted actors like Charlize Theron or Cate Blanchett believe if physically they could look or be made up to look the part, then given enough time to train for accent and behavior they can play any nationality.
Iranian actress GOLSHIFTEH FARAHANI has so far played few Arabic characters and Kurdish roles, also an Afghan, and Indian... No doubt she will add other nationalities to her splendid career.
In fairness to Francia Raisa she was the number 10 replacment of other actresses selected out of some 100 Iranian, Middle Eastern, Latin-American, Indian-American actresses who enthusiatically auditioned to play the much-coveted role of Shahrzad.
In the end the other 9 dropped out because their managers got them roles which paid a lot more than our low SAG- Screen Actors Guild- minimum budget could afford.
Francia was cast in the 11th hour, literally 6 days before the already several times delayed final scheduled shoot day. So she had literally less than a week to study her complex character, a couple of quick rehearsals at Director's home, learn how to play the piano- both Persian and Tchaikovsky classical music, learn Farsi/Persian accent and learn how to sing (or at least lip sing) RUMI's ecstatic love songs in Farsi/Persian. It was too much to expect from any actress...
Thank you.
The Fimmakers.
Dear Veefranco:
Thank you for your interesting feedback. Kindly see replies posted to ShirinF333 and to LittleMissLee.
Also, the follow up to ShirinF333's reply to you, we are about to post.
Much appreciate your fair support to non-Hollywood true independent, cross-cultural films.
If you like the movie, please rate and post feeback and spread the word. Independent films rely on grass roots's active support.
Beyond Paradise is now available on Digital HD and On Demand at: Amazon Instant Video, ITunes, Google Play, TWC - Time Warner Cable, DirecTV, Verizon, Comcast Xfinity [featured in‘Indie Film Club’ collection], VUDU, Cox, AT&T U-Verse, iNDEMAND (nationwide aggregator), Charter, Vimeo On Demand, Vubiquity (nationwide aggregator), Xinfinity Online. (Netflix to come soon.)
The Filmmakers.
Seriously. It's kind of ridiculous.
shareJust a thought, but this could have a lot to do with the fact that jews control Hollywood, and most zionist jews hate Iranians (well, Muslims in general). That would be incentive enough for them to cast most, if not all, Iranian parts with non-Iranian actors. I'm pretty sure that the director/writer of this film is jewish.
shareDear Orignisinz:
Thank you for your observations.
Once your read our replies to ShirinF333's message and also replies to others who kindly posted messages to Shirin, we hope you will be glad to learn that fortunately your suspicions are absolutely unfounded.
And, so sorry to disappoint you neither the writer/producer/director nor the filmmakers are Jewish.
To discover interesting historical facts and info of why BEYOND PARADISE please quickly browse/scroll down the Director's Inspiration for this RUMI's love poems-inspired cross cultural love story at the following site, with some stunning images.
Director's Inspiration:
http://beyondparadisemovie.com/about/directors-inspiration/
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Dear ShirinF333:
Thank you for posting your observations. We agree 100% ideally an Iranian actress should have been played Shahrzad. Please read below why unfortunately this didn’t/couldn't happen. Some 150+ Filmmakers, Cast and Crew worked hard for low or no pay, and suffered much to make this “Hollywood-unpopular” theme of a poetic love story about Iranian Shahrzad and Spanish American Sebastian in English, that aims to introduce RUMI and LORCA’s love poems to the world. Plus, the theme of violent abuse of women’s rights, including horrific Acid Attack.
Finally Beyond Paradise got MarVista's independent disribution. Early feedback on Social Media: "Highly Recommended" "I Love it” "Amazing" "Lovely romance” “RUMI poems, music & cultural references we don't see much in movies" "Wonderful" "Very Touching" "Stunning" “Hot! Hot! #MCM Ryan Guzman "Very good film that gives you perspective on different cultures."
Perhaps because only Iranian and those familiar with Iran would notice Shahrzad's actress is not Iranian. Or, maybe most Iranians like the many Iranian men and women we tested the movie with (in two separate mixed-age independent audience tests) accept this imperfection and focus on all the many positive and ethnically and culturally correct themes of the film
BEYOND PARADISE is not a Hollywood movie but a true independent low-budget- a SAG Screen Actors Guild low minimum budget. Hollywood would not touch Beyond Paradise- a poetic love story about an Iranian Shahrzad using Rumi love poems featuring classical music of Europe and Iran. Our “tender love story and women’s rights theme is not a genre that attracts high box office. Hollywood and most of World's commercial cinema focus on a Action/Violent Thriller/Horror/Vimper/Zombee/TitsAss comedy/Video games-style adventures for kids/Science Fiction and unreal Super Hero movies.
(Why doesn't Hollywood send some of these Super Heroes to finish off ISIS barbarians in Syria and Iraq and save millions of uprooted innocent refugees of mostly kids and women?)
Of course ideally Shahrzad should have been played by an Iranian. Unfortunately there were no Iranian actresses who could be available at same time as Ryan Guzman an/dor could not match Ryan (chemistry audition.) Only 2 Iranian actresses’ look and talent/experience would have been right to play this role and match lead cast already booked. (More in next post reply to ShirinF333.)
Regrettably all other Iranian actresses and/or their agents passed our script mostly because there was not enough money for managers/agents’ 10-15% commissions. And/or, due to understandable risky security/safety concerns of actresses’ relatives back in Iran. See the Iran politically-incorrect violent scene of women's repression in a Tehran street - which is a running background theme of Beyond Paradise
Thank you for your understanding and support.
Filmmakers.
Hello jjonroy, I have not read your responses until I stumbled across the page right now after watching Ryan Guzman's performance last night in Everybody Wants Some. This film came to my mind again as I've been excited to watch it since I saw it on his IMDb page a long time back. I greatly appreciate all of your posts and completely understand what you have said and also apologize for my hasty judgments. I think Francia Raisa is both a beautiful and talented actress. From the beginning I thought that yes she looks like she could be Persian especially in the photos for this film, my problem lied in the casting of a non-iranian but now I understand. I jumped to conclusions assuming that the filmakers didn't care to find an Iranian actress as most of Hollywood's films don't. Now obviously I see the actual trouble you guys went to and I agree that it in fact does not matter to me as the performance and subject of the film are what do. I was waiting to see if this got a large release but I will definitely watch the film on amazon as soon as possible now that I know it's there. As I said, I apologize for my hasty judgments on the film and have since looked back on it with chagrin that I did so. That's actually one of the reasons I came on the message board just now, to resend my initial post. Honestly it came from a place of jealousy because as a Persian American trying to be an actress myself, the bias of Hollywood gets to me. I see now that this is not the case. I am very interested to watch the beautiful poetic film you describe and will leave a post and a rating when I've done so :)
~ Shirin
P.S. Max Amini is a great comedian! Just drink the tomato juice! I'm excited to see him play a non-comedic role.