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Wondering why you should watch a film about a coup that happened in Iran over 60 years ago?


We were wondering too, so we asked Narges Bajoghli, Assistant Professor of Middle East Studies at the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University


Professor Bajoghli said:


Despite the fact that the US and Iran have been bitter enemies for the better part of the last forty years, tensions have never been as high as they are today. Americans are often confused about what led to the massive Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the anti-American sentiments of many protestors. To understand how we’ve come to the brink of war with Iran today, there is no more important story than that of the CIA/MI6 coup in Iran in 1953. The Coup 53 documentary is a must-see for any concerned citizen today.  




TWITTER WATCH PARTY August 19th

Join watch parties Wed 19th on Twitter at 8 PM EDT and then again at 8 PM PDT using #coup53

and follow the film on social media @coup53


POST PREMIERE Q&A August 20th

Join the live Q&A on Thursday August 20th at 3 PM EDT / noon PDT

Save your spot on Crowdcast and think of your questions for Taghi Amirani, Walter Murch and Ralph Fiennes in conversation with Jon Snow of Channel 4 News






Learn more about COUP 53 below:

While making a documentary about the Anglo-American coup in Iran in 1953, Iranian director Taghi Amirani and editor Walter Murch (Apocalypse Now, The Conversation, The English Patient) discover extraordinary never seen before archive material hidden for decades. The 16mm footage and documents not only allow the filmmakers to tell the story of the overthrow of the Iranian government in unprecedented detail, but also lead to explosive revelations about dark secrets buried for 67years. What begins as a history documentary about 4 days in August 1953 turns into a live investigation, taking the filmmakers into uncharted cinematic waters. The roots of Iran's volatile relationship with Britain and America has never been so forensically and dramatically exposed.


COUP 53 is presented in partnership with the JHU Film and Media Studies Program.

  • Year
    2019
  • Runtime
    119 minutes
  • Language
    English, Persian, Italian, French
  • Country
    UK, Iran, USA
  • Director
    TAGHI AMIRANI
  • Screenwriter
    TAGHI AMIRANI WALTER MURCH
  • Producer
    TAGHI AMIRANI, PAUL ZAENTZ
  • Executive Producer
    GERRY OHRSTROM NEDA NOBARI JON WILCOX
  • Co-Producer
    AMIR AMIRANI AHMAD KIAROSTAMI
  • Cinematographer
    CHRIS MORPHET TAGHI AMIRANI CLAUDIA RASCHKE
  • Editor
    WALTER MURCH A.C.E
  • Animator
    MARTYN PICK
  • Music
    ROBERT MILLER