Experiencing Interruptions?

Persian Black Metal Story

Persian Black Metal Story brings forth the memoirs of one political refugee whose story is a bit more peculiar than what you might have come to expect. Through interviews and archive footage the documentary follows Magus' journey from his childhood and Iranian revolution in 1979 to Iran-Iraq war, in which Magus lost both his parents. Story continues and reveals Magus' secret art life in Tehran as he gets in trouble with the government and is imprisoned and tortured because of his art. He ends up fleeing Iran and settling down in India as a political refugee to continue his music career. In India tragedy strikes again as Magus has a near death experience under the influence of illegal drugs and proceeds to marrying a German porn star and moving to Germany. Film depicts a unique and turbulent life's story of an artist who risks his life for his art.

  • Janne Vuorela
    Director
  • Janne Vuorela
    Writer
  • Janne Vuorela
    Producer
  • Magus Faustoos Crowley
    Key Cast
  • Karo Riikola
    Production design & post-production
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    39 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 15, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    0 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Doc'n Roll Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    November 4, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Modern Heavy Metal Conference
    Helsinki
    Finland
    June 25, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Eastern Europe Film Festival

    Russian Federation
    June 5, 2021
    Official Selection
  • 1st GIFF | Genesis International Film Festival
    Moscow
    Russian Federation
    September 4, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Serbest International Film Festival (SIFF)
    Chișinău
    Moldova, Republic of
    September 23, 2021
    Semi-Finalist
  • Gar's - Garasjens HEAVY METAL film festival
    Reinsvoll
    Norway
    March 27, 2021
    Winner
  • Capital Filmmakers Festival Berlin
    Berlin
    Germany
    Semi-Finalist
Director Biography - Janne Vuorela

I am a Journalist and an independent filmmaker based in Berlin. Outside my day job in news industry I mainly work on my own projects. My goal is to stay truly independent and only tackle topics that inspire and interest me, this has led me to explore wide range of themes from sex work to football and extreme metal music.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

In the making from 2017, this documentary is the true sense of DIY mentality. Done without a
budget, Persian Black Metal Story is now released under Creative Commons license and free for all.

An orphan, an artist, a doctor and a political refugee, Iranian Black Metal musician Magus Faustoos
Crowley is all these and much more. He lives today in Berlin, Germany where he waits anxiously to
receive his German citizenship. How he got there is a whirlwind of very personal tragedies and
triumphs that are fueled by events of great magnitude like the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-1988. In the
heart of all this Magus finds his voice and a way to express himself through art and especially
through Black Metal music. As his art is illegal in his homeland, Magus soon realizes that he has to
leave his beloved Iran behind as his search for his destiny takes him around the world as a stateless
refugee.

In interviews Magus tells his volatile life story and how history has molded his fate. Rare footage
from his album recording sessions, live concerts and art shows in 1990's Iran give us a privileged
glimpse into a world hardly ever seen before. In 2001 India grants asylum for Magus as his personal
camcorder captures his reckless lifestyle. He tries to find his place but once again his spiritual
journey leads to tragedy, leaving him to search for yet another new home, this time in Europe.

This documentary brings forth memoirs of one political refugee whose story is a bit more peculiar
than what you might have come to expect and serves as a reminder that every refugee’s story is
unique and important. The paradox in the protagonist’s life is that the more he tries not to be
political the more political he becomes just by the virtue of talking his heart's truth through his art
and music. We are also reminded that freedom of art is not a given everywhere in the world today.
The message of free art is now more important than ever due to Covid-19 and it’s effects on all of
us.