Celluloid Underground
Logline: A lifelong cinephile rescues thousands of banned Iranian films, turning his obsession into an act of cultural resistance.
Venue: The Dragon Theatre
Jubilee Road, Barmouth, Gwynedd, LL42 1ES
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Thursday, 22nd January 2026
14:00
Thursday, 29th January 2026
19:00
Film details
Everything you need to know before booking.
GenreAction
Runtime80 mins
LanguagePersian (Farsi) with English subtitles, plus English narration
Age certificateU
CountryIran
Directed byEhsan Khoshbakht
Synopsis
After the 1979 Iranian Revolution, filmmaker Ehsan Khoshbakht befriends underground archivist Ahmad Jorghanian, who risks imprisonment to preserve Western and Iranian film prints from destruction. Celluloid Underground weaves Khoshbakht’s youth and exile with Jorghanian’s silent heroism, exploring how cinema can defy censorship and connect people—long after film stock decays.
Trailer
About The Dragon Theatre
Find out more about the space you’ll be watching in.
A converted Victorian chapel in the centre of Barmouth, housing a traditional 186-seat theatre auditorium and additional function/community meeting rooms—including a studio stage for cabaret-style performances. Maintained by a small team of paid staff and volunteers, supported by the Town Council, and hosting films, music, theatre, workshops, exhibitions, and more year-round.