Oscar-Contender ‘The Voice Of Dust And Ash’ Chronicles Mohammad Shajarian, Legendary Vocalist Who Defied Iranian Regime
When protests broke out in Iran in 2009 over the fraudulent presidential election, one of the country’s leading artists stood up against the regime and its violent repression of demonstrators. Vocalist Mohammad Reza Shajarian recorded a song with lyrics addressed to government militias attacking people in the streets: “Lay down your guns. Come, sit down, talk, hear. Perhaps the light of humanity will get through to your heart.”