Transnational circulation and national perceptions: Art films in the Iranian context

Introduction Global media flows are generally considered as a straight line and not one that loops back to the place of origin. These loops do exist. Often films are viewed at an international festival before they are seen in the home country. These travels have consequences for the films’ reception and perception in the place of origin. Marks (2000: xii) suggests that on their travels films build up impressions ‘like a palimpsest’ which they then pass onto other audiences.