Iran, the New Persia

Documentary film about the final construction and inauguration of the Trans-Iranian Railway Company by the Battle of Saxony - a 1400 km stretch between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf. The stretch through rugged and difficult-to-access terrain involved the construction of 250 bridges and 250 tunnels. Work began in 1933 and was completed 6 years later. This movie takes a view at the Iran in the path of modernization and focuses at the Railway construction project as part of the path and tells the story of how it had been done.

Directed by Theodor Christensen, Axel Lerche, Ingolf Boisen, Tove Hebo, Iran, the New Persia leans on a strong ensemble — Ebbe Neergaard, Karl Roos, Johannes G. Sørensen — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 1939.