It's Canadian Film Night Again!

At least once a year we have our now world-famous Canadian Film Night. With the assistance of the Canadian Embassy we bring some “Canadian Content” to our city. Whether one is from Canada or not, these films provide a different take on the world than what is normally available in the local cinemas, on Greek TV and in the dvd rental shops. This year’s Greek premiere is scheduled for Wednesday, November 5^th at 7:30 PM in the Institute’s Library.

"Our Man in Tehran" is a Canadian documentary from 2013 directed by Drew Taylor and Larry Weinstein that chronicles the true story of Canada's former ambassador to Iran, Ken Taylor, who was responsible for the high-risk rescue of six U.S. diplomats trapped in Iran. The film is Canada's response to the Hollywood feature "Argo" uncovering new information on the 1979 hostage crisis and adding ample valuable content.

The world watched with fear in November 1979, when Iranian students infiltrated and occupied the American embassy in Tehran. The Americans were caught entirely by surprise, and what began as a swift and seemingly short-lived takeover evolved into a crisis that would see fifty-four embassy personnel held hostage, most for 444 days. As Tehran exploded in a fury of revolution, six American diplomats secretly escaped. For three months, Ken Taylor, the Canadian ambassador to Iran—along with his wife and embassy staffers—concealed the Americans in their homes, always with the prospect that the revolutionary government of Ayatollah Khomeini would exact deadly consequences. The United States found itself handcuffed by a fractured, fundamentalist government it could not understand and had completely underestimated. With limited intelligence resources available on the ground and anti-American sentiment growing, President Carter turned to Taylor to work with the CIA in developing their exfiltration plans. Until now, the true story behind Taylor’s involvement in the escape of the six diplomats and the Eagle Claw commando raid has remained classified.

So join us and find out the “real story” of what happened 35 years ago!

Cordially,
David Rupp
Director