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Click on the photo for enlargeTEHRAN, the Iran – Iran welcomed first Oscar film in the country as a triumph over arch-enemy Israel Monday after a race at the Oscars with his own side plots: Iranian officials giving a reluctant nod for film and the Israeli public flocking to see a drama in Tehran.

Praise of yarn to the State of the Iran for “A separation,” beat Israeli film and three others in the foreign language category, was mostly wrapped in patriotic boasting as a conquest of the Iranian culture and a blow to inordinate influence perceived Israel in America. “

But the attention of prestige by Islamic leaders also represented a rare stamp of approval for the Iranian film industry.

Iranian filmmakers have collected Awards around the world for decades, but the Iranian hardliners denounce often domestic film as dominated by the Liberals tainted Western and political dissidents. Some Directors and actors have faced arrest or have fled the country. In January, a well known group of independent film in Tehran, the House of cinema, was sentenced closed.

Iranian hardliners had already taken pot shots in the film from Director Asghar Farhadi even though he has accumulated international awards and pre-Oscar buzz. The film explores the disorders in Iranian society through the story of a marriage collapsing. Iranian conservatives have upset the themes of internal unrest, gender inequality and the desire of many Iranians to leave the country.

The fracture goes much deeper cracks in Iran.

Population young and highly educated of the Iran – almost half born after the Islamic revolution of 1979, feel more isolated by its defiant nuclear policies progressively remote of a theocracy that is no place for political opposition, has attempted to muzzle the Internet and is growing.

Farhadi, in his speech of acceptance Sunday in Los Angeles, said he hoped the Oscar would raise the Iran scalable artistic achievements and rich culture that has been “hidden under the heavy dust of politics.”

This has been the case in all places, Israel, which feels its existence threatened by the Iran.

Iranian cinema has attracted tens of thousands of moviegoers Israeli since its opening in mid-February. Some have come to see the competition for Israeli filmmaker Oscar “reference,” Joseph Cedar’s a Talmudic scholar saga.”" But many were designed by a chance to see within Iranian society.

“It is very well acted, exceptionally well written and very moving,” said Israeli film critic Yair Raveh. “Ultimately you don’t think nuclear bombs or dictators threatening world peace.” You see cars driving and go to the movies and they look exactly like us. »

After a screening in Jerusalem Sunday, age of 70 years brick Rina said that she had been surprised by the humanity of the Iranians bureaucrats in the film.

“Our image of works of the Iran is less democratic that we see here”, she says. “The judge, the police, everyone behaves as if they are in a Western country.”

Yet, the nuclear program of the Iran was on the minds of some. Israel not held on military strikes against the nuclear facilities of the Iran, which the West fears could be used to develop weapons. Tehran says that they are for peaceful purposes, such as energy production.

Moshe Amirav, Professor of political science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said he “did not stop thinking the bomb all the time” he looked “separation.”

“I have it said, what a contrast that we see the Iranian film with this admiration, and when we leave we think in the way they want to kill us,”Amirav said.”

Iranian cinema garnered praise and awards at festivals of high for decades. But then that the Government often made salient sports achievements and technological jumps as a source of national pride, it is generally little copycat Awards international, cultural, and entertainment.

However, taking the Oscar an Israeli rival was too powerful for the manufacturers of image State to ignore.

A State TV broadcast said the successful price to “leaving behind”a film Israel.”" Javad Shamaghdari, head of the State Agency of cinematic, depicts the victory of Oscar as the “start of the collapse” of the Israeli influence “beating the drum of war” in the United States and elsewhere.

Still, Iranian artists and many fans did not try to score points from any propaganda and were simply enchanted by first Oscar of the country.

Tahmineh Milani, Director of the acclaimed film 2005 “Unwanted woman,” said that the Oscar was a source of “national pride” that “brings the hope in the hearts of all Iranians.”

“I feel fresh air in my lungs,” said Erfan Khazaei, a student in art at the Azad University, who watched the ceremony of Oscar on television by satellite with four friends. “We are now more optimistic for the future.”

The Academy Awards were not broadcast live on Iranian television, and many Iranians watched by satellite dishes, which are illegal but widely used. Excerpts from the acceptance speech for Farhadi were later broadcast on State television.

“Separation”, tells the story of a couple heading divorce and dealing with internal unrest, including a young child and an aging parent. It depicts a husband who is protective of his father, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. It is in conflict with his wife, who wishes to emigrate. Their daughter is torn between them.

His themes are not overtly political, ultra-conservateurs, denigrated the film as an indirect slap at the country.

Eminent sociologist lasts Ebrahim Fayyaz he calls a “black realistic film” that describes the country as an old man, a symbol of the tradition and the past which is afflicted with a disease crippling in mind.

He said that the film suggests to emigrate to the West as a solution. “Western price movies that are in the sense of their policies,” he told the news agency Nasim.

The Iranian authorities have a longstanding relationship uncomfortable with the directors of the country. Management provides the flexibility to explore many social issues but draws a line marked on the works to much protest connotation.

In January, the regime ordered the closure of the House of cinema, a group of independent film which had operated for 20 years and counted top filmmakers of the Iran, including Farhadi, among its members.

Officials said it was not appropriate permits, but artists and others argue that it was a political decision because the group often took liberal stands contrary to the cultural policy of the Government. Last month, Farhadi has proposed that the Iranian authorities allow a vote among the artists on his fate.

Iranian cinema has long been one of the main cultural exports of the nation, but also the target of law enforcement policy.

Last year, Director Jafar Panahi, who won the award in Cannes, Venice and other major film festivals, was sentenced to a six-year house arrest and a ban on 20 years of film after being guilty of “making propaganda” against the decision of the system Iran.

In 2007, the Cannes jury prize is the animated film “Persepolis” based on the graphic novels by Marjane Satrapi to grow during the Islamic revolution of 1979. She now lives in exile in Paris, fearing possible arrest if she returns in Iran.

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Murphy reported from Dubai, United Emirates Arab. Editor of associated press Daniella Cheslow in Jerusalem contributed to this report.