SSPIZS documentary screening of Derbent: What Persia Left Behind

The 6th-century Fortifications of Darband (Derbent) is the largest defensive structure of the Persian Empire in the Caucasus.

The complex was built to safeguard the northern borders of the Sasanian Empire from incursions of northern tribes. Following the Arab invasion of Persia (Iran) in the 7th century, the area was captured by invading forces. Despite this, the fortifications, strategically located between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains, continued to serve their defensive role for nearly 15 centuries under successive Arab, Turkish, Persian, and finally Russian rulers.

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After the Russian-Persian Wars, Derbent became part of Russia in 1813. Today, it lies within the Republic of Dagestan, where Western visitors are advised against travelling due to ongoing conflicts between Islamic extremist groups and the Russian central government. Once a hub for promoting Zoroastrianism during the Sasanian period, the area is now predominantly Muslim.

"Derbent: What Persia Left Behind" is a comprehensive documentary that explores the unique history and archaeology of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The documentary features exclusive footage shot in Derbent just before the Russo-Ukrainian war, along with interviews with renowned scholars who illuminate the rich yet often overlooked history of the fortifications. Funded by the Persian Heritage Foundation and the Soudavar Memorial Foundation, the film also highlights the critical condition of the Middle Persian (Pahlavi) inscriptions found in the region, the northernmost of their kind in the world. (More Information: Derbent Online.)

The screening will be followed by a question and answer section with the director, and a light reception to end the evening.

About the director

Pejman Akbarzadeh is a documentary filmmaker, musician, and journalist, based in Amsterdam. In 2009, alongside his work in music and journalism, he began a new phase of his career by shifting his focus to visual media, recognizing its broader impact compared to literature. That year, he completed his first documentary, the feature-length film "Hayedeh: Legendary Persian Diva".

His second film, "Taq Kasra: Wonder of Architecture", is the first-ever documentary on this iconic Sasanian monument. It was filmed in Iraq during the tumultuous period of the ISIS conflict in 2016–2017 and highlighted the risks involved in preserving archaeological sites in war zones. Premiering in 2018 at SOAS, the film has since become a model for how visual media can contribute to heritage studies, with several universities worldwide incorporating it into their course materials.

Akbarzadeh's latest documentary, "Derbent: What Persia Left Behind", has been screened at prestigious institutions like Stanford University and the German Orientalists Conference at FU Berlin. The film is part of his ongoing effort to raise awareness about Persian heritage beyond the modern borders of Persia (Iran). The SOAS Center for Zoroastrian Studies organised the UK premiere, followed by a Q&A session with the director.

© Fortress Image: Pejman Akbarzadeh 
© Portrait Image: Babak Ejlali