Letters To The President (2009)

Iran, 2008. As President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's motorcade creeps through the teeming streets of Qom Shrine, thousands of people jam hand-written letters into the hands of his handlers. Hearing their President deliver a speech is a thrill, but more promising to these men and women is the hope that their letters - expressing pleas for loans, medical attention, housing and jobs - will be answered. Since his 2005 election on a populist, "man of the people" platform, Ahmadinejad has encouraged Iranians to send him such letters; according to a staff member, he has received about 10 million of them, and has been able to respond to nearly 76 percent. In one letter, a 16-year-old boy says his family has no money and goes to bed hungry every night. According to the staff member, the boy will be helped. As other letters are read, the worker says that "In Islam, charity is a necessity."

Director: Petr Lom
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 74 min
Release Date:

Cast

Production: HBO, HBO Documentary Films
Country: France, Canada
Language: English, فارسی
Original Language: en

Keywords

iran

More Films by Director: Petr Lom
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Letters To The President about?
Iran, 2008. As President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's motorcade creeps through the teeming streets of Qom Shrine, thousands of people jam hand-written letters into the hands of his handlers. Hearing their President deliver a speech is a thrill, but more promising to these men and women is the hope that their letters - expressing pleas for loans, medical attention, housing and jobs - will be answered. Since his 2005 election on a populist, "man of the people" platform, Ahmadinejad has encouraged Iranians to send him such letters; according to a staff member, he has received about 10 million of them, and has been able to respond to nearly 76 percent. In one letter, a 16-year-old boy says his family has no money and goes to bed hungry every night. According to the staff member, the boy will be helped. As other letters are read, the worker says that "In Islam, charity is a necessity."
Who directed Letters To The President?
Letters To The President was directed by Petr Lom.
Who stars in Letters To The President?
Letters To The President stars Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
How long is Letters To The President?
Letters To The President has a runtime of 1h 14m (74 minutes).
What genre is Letters To The President?
Letters To The President is a Documentary film.
Where was Letters To The President produced?
Letters To The President was produced in France, Canada.