Dear Friends,
Below is a list of commonly asked questions that we receive at PROMISES FILMS. We receive hundreds of emails. PROMISES FILMS is a small non-profit organization and our resources are extremely limited. So please understand why it is that we are not able to respond personally to all your emails. We hope you will find the answer to your questions right here.
Q. When will Our Summer In Tehran be shown on TV?
A. Our Summer in Tehran will broadcast on PBS in April and May 2011. Each region will have their own time slot so keep an eye out for the broadcast date and time on your local public televsion station.

Q. Will the film screen or broadcast outside of the United States?
A. ro*co films international represents Our Summer in Tehran, (and Promises). They are shopping Our Summer in Tehran to foreign broadcasters and there is interest. Please join our email list and we’ll keep you posted on the film’s screening schedule in the US and abroad.

So far, Our Summer in Tehran will have foreign broadcasts on:

HBO Latin America

RTE Irealnd - March 26th, 2011

ABC Australia

Q: Can I buy a home use DVD of Our Summer in Tehran?
A. You sure can! Our Summer in Tehran and our previous documentary film Promises, are both available on DVD (NTSC) for home use. Click here to purchase the DVD for home use.
Q: How can I book a screening of Our Summer in Tehran? I would like to show the film in my school, university, synagogue, Mosque, Church, etc. How can I do this?
A. Our Summer in Tehran and our previous documentary film Promises, are available for public screenings/educational rights. If you'd like to screen Promises please visit www.cinemaguild.com, email us an email at info@promisesfilms.com, or give us a call at (510) 486 - 9733.

Q: Is there an educational curriculum or a discussion guide for Our Summer in Tehran?
A. A 4-page Disucussion Guide is now available for download, which aims to foster a meaningful dialogue for middle and high schoolers after viewing Our Summer in Tehran. This discussion guide contains three components to extend students' learning:

1. QUESTIONS for critical thinking, reflection, and debate
2. RESEARCH topics for extended learning
3. RESOURCES that provide context and background

Q: Is the soundtrack for Our Summer in Tehran available?
A. The soundtrack was composed by the wonderful Christophe Rezai, a French -Iranian composer. Please join our mailing list and we’ll let you know when a CD of his soundtrack will be available
Q: How can I book one of the filmmakers of Our Summer in Tehran for a speaking engagement?
A. Visit our speaking engagement page or email info@promisesfilms.com. Our schedules are tight and as much of the work on the film was done on a volunteer basis, we must charge a speaking fee. Let us know what you can afford in the way of speaking fee and travel coverage. Often times 2 or 3 organizations in the same city, (or 2 or 3 university departments) will work together to bring the filmmaker, sharing the costs between them.
Q: When did you shoot Our Summer in Tehran?
A. The basic timeline of Our Summer in Tehran:
- Research and Development and fundraising in 2004 and 2005;
- Preliiminary scouting trip to Tehran in 2006 to find the families;
- Summertime shoot with Justine and her son Mateo in 2007;
- Subsequent shoots in 2008 and logging, digitizing and translating all the material;
- Edit in 2009 and 2010. Film completed in May 2010.
- Fundraising efforts throughout.
Q: How are the families in the documentary film, in light of the recent protests that began in July 2009?
A. All the families are fine and Inshallah in good health.
Q: What is Justine Shapiro up to now?
A. Justine is developing her next project which is a dream project that she has been wanting to do for 15 years! She’s too early in the process to talk about it now… but she will when the time is right. In the meantime she is working on the educational outreach/community engagement and distribution for Our Summer In Tehran, training for the AIDs ride from San Francisco to LA, and she is really truly going to try her hand at... blogging.
Q: How can I contact Justine and others at Promises Films?
A. Please send an email to info@promisesfilms.com, but please understand, we get hundreds of emails and simply cannot reply to all of them. However we promise to read every single one of them.