by Aida Ghajar

IranWire

In the winter twilight of Paris, where ancient stories find new wings, shadows dance on walls, telling tales millennia old.

Here, in the city of lights, Hamid Rahmanian’s shadow play of “Bijan and Manijeh” transforms Ferdowsi’s immortal verses into living breath.

483 puppets move through the air, their shadows painting tales of love and redemption across 208 shifting backgrounds. Nine actors breathe life into these paper souls.

For Rahmanian, the play represents the culmination of a 17-year journey through the forests of Persian mythology.

From puppet books to symphonic orchestras, he has wandered the paths of the Shahnameh, searching for ways to build bridges between cultures.

This shadow play, three years in the making, stands as his most ambitious crossing yet.

Hamid Rahmanian told IranWire that creating the Bijan and Manijeh shadow play involved many challenges, including updating the story for modern audiences and handling technical issues.

He says that the project is not just artistic but also cultural.

Rahmanian and the cast have dedicated their performance of Bijan and Manijeh to the women of Iran - women whose voices have resonated worldwide in recent years.

Rahmanian explains, “The feminine essence of the story is both profound and important. When the femininity within the Shahnameh surfaces, it breathes life into the story and transforms its tone. I’ve highlighted these elements.”

He said that a glance at the Shahnameh might suggest it is filled with male-centric tales.

However, upon closer examination of characters like Manijeh, Rudabeh, Gordafarid, and Tahmineh, along with their perspectives on life and impactful roles, it becomes evident that this isn’t the case.

He said, “The inclusion of women breathes life into the stories. I’ve chosen stories that highlight strong female characters.”

Sarah Walsh, an American actress, plays Manijeh in this shadow theater production.

She steps into the role of a heroic woman from the Shahnameh, saying, “It’s an experience like no other, to stand strong - not only as a female character but to stand strong amidst all of this war and this fighting, this bloodshed - I’m honored.”

Walsh wears a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan Woman, Life, Freedom.

She added, “If we can do anything, even creating a second of remorse [and] reminding women all over the world that they are strong ... then I feel that I have done my job.”

“I want the children, the little girls, to see this and be like, ‘Oh, I can fight,’ no matter who you are, where you are - a princess to the lowest of the low… you can fight.”

Rahmanian, an artist, filmmaker, and director of this shadow theater production, had an active artistic career in Iran.

Rahmanian explains how migration shifted his focus to producing cultural content about Iran.

He said, “My work was in graphic design and filmmaking, but when you migrate, you feel the need to create a shield and shift attention from politics to culture. Everyone talks, but creating content is what matters.”

He added, “How much do our slogans abroad impact people inside Iran? We’ve had 43 years of migration history, but how much content have we created for our host countries? We need to produce works that convey the beauty, depth, and language of our heritage to both the new generation of Iranians and Western audiences.”

As Rahmanian said, discussions about Iran in the West often revolve around politics and an oppressive regime.

“I wanted to step away from that narrative and focus on cultural storytelling, though even cultural work has an undercurrent of resistance. The Shahnameh itself is an act of defiance - a book that remains in talk with us Iranians to this day.”

In an age where digital technology permeates every aspect of life, Rahmanian’s shadow theater relies heavily on analog techniques.

One key innovation in the performance is its live shadow puppetry. Audiences sit before a screen, while behind it, actors bring the story to life with puppets and projectors.

In many venues, the curtain rises after the performance, giving audiences a behind-the-scenes glimpse.

However, in Paris, spectators are invited upstairs to learn about the production techniques and tools used.

According to Rahmanian and the production team, the audience for this play is predominantly non-Iranian.

Mohammad Talani, a musician and stage manager for the performance, told IranWire, “These techniques didn’t exist before. We use two projectors - one for the ongoing scene and another where actors prepare for the next.

“Figuring out how to integrate this with computers was our first challenge. But during the performance, it’s mostly automated now. The real challenge lies with the actors.”

One of the performers, Harrison Green, who plays Gorgin, elaborates on the physical demands of the show.

Actors are in constant motion, maneuvering puppets on the floor and acting in front of projectors.

Green says, “I love it. Everyone gets along so well, and we really believe in the work that we are doing.”

Why does an artist dedicate their life to sharing Iranian culture with a different world? Hamid Rahmanian could have, like many migrants of various nationalities across the globe, built a different life. Yet, for him, migration took on another meaning.

Rahmanian speaks of social responsibility - a drive to bring Iranian culture to the Western world.

“I feel a social responsibility on my shoulders. I live in America, where Turks, Arabs, and Israelis have cultural support. Culture is built with money, but unfortunately, Iran lacks this, leaving people like me to take on the duty.

“What holds us together as Iranians is our culture, art, and language—not governments, which come and go. In this play, whether you are a child or elderly, there are lessons to be learned - like the theme of forgiveness in the story of Bijan and Manijeh.”

Rahmanian refers to the Shahnameh story’s conclusion, where Bijan is only saved by Rostam’s help if he can forgive, thereby earning the title of “hero.”

The cast wore T-shirts with Woman, Life, Freedom, linking Iran’s ancient culture to the modern struggles of Iranian women.